Time & Time Again
by lostinmysticfalls
Summary: When Caroline makes an innocent wish into a magical well, she never imagines the consequences that will follow. Now she's stuck in a never-ending time loop and forced to relive events she thought were in the past. Rated M for future chapter.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone! I'm finally ready to start popping out chapters for my new fic :P I really, really hope you guys like it as much as the last one! Just a few notes before we get started:**

**1. This story takes place in the TVD universe.**

**2. I wrote the first chapter before 4x09 so you will notice I went off canon, and even though I will be revisiting things you've already seen on TVD, things will be a little different ;)**

**3. There is no Shane in my story & Klaus never killed Carol Lockwood. **

**Okay, that is all.**

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**Chapter 1: In The Wake of Destruction**

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It was all over. The hybrids lay dead on the ground, their hearts ripped from their chest as the fresh blood still dripped from their open wounds. Caroline's eyes widened at the horrific sight; there wasn't a single survivor. They'd all been promised a chance to be free of Klaus' control and instead lost the very thing they craved the most; a life of freedom.

Her heels tapped against the cold pavement with every step, remnants of snow still present at her feet. Her friends looked as astonished as she did. Nobody said a word. Tyler stood next to Hayley, her arms draped over him as if holding on to his body would protect her from anything. Caroline looked on, wondering if playing up the ruse had even been worth it. All they had accomplished was to make Klaus angry and now more than ever, they'd have to watch their every move.

Tyler looked at her with a hollow, distant gaze. His stare was as cold as the breeze flowing through her hair. She looked down at the ground, aware that she was in some way responsible for what had occurred.

"Where is he?" Stefan asked, his harsh voice echoing against the walls of the empty Square.

The silence was swallowing them whole. No one seemed to know where the hybrid had gone after he was done with his violent rampage. It was a miracle no one else had lost their life.

Damon let go of Elena and stepped forward, assuming a position of power. "You can't do anything about it now, Stefan. He's done."

"He's the only one that knows how to get the cure. If he leaves town–"

"If he leaves town, we'll follow." Tyler spoke loudly, lifting his head up high like the Alpha male he had declared himself to be.

Caroline pursed her lips. He was still acting like he owned the pack, even though there was no pack left for him to order around anymore. Hayley noticed the change in Caroline's demeanor and raised an eyebrow, disapprovingly.

"You don't get it, do you?" She asked accusingly as the blonde tilted her head, surprised by her question. Before she had a chance to answer, the wolf continued, "They were our friends. If your friends–" She paused to look around at everyone present, "Had been killed here tonight. Would you just cross your arms and do absolutely nothing about it?"

Caroline furrowed her eyebrows, angry by the fact that Hayley thought she was being insensitive and careless about the situation. "I understand your anger, but going after Klaus will only get you _and _Tyler killed." She looked at her boyfriend, trying hard to see a glimpse of understanding in his eyes. "If it weren't for Bonnie you two would be dead."

Tyler's gaze was unfazed. He was angry with her and rightfully so.

"We need to get moving. Get rid of the bodies, and go on a compulsion spree." Damon suggested. "Everyone that was here tonight saw what happened. We can't have them playing Nancy Drew and getting in our way."

"He's right." Elena agreed. In the background, Caroline noticed Stefan rolling his eyes at her words. The sire bond was very much still in play and whether they liked it or not Elena would continue to side with Damon.

The rest of the group began hauling the bodies away. Bonnie took Caroline by the arm and pulled her to the side, guiding her further and further away from the rest. "You need to find him." She muttered, displeased by what she was saying.

"Klaus? _You _are asking me to go find Klaus?" Caroline replied in amusement.

Bonnie pressed her lips and nodded. "Stefan is right, it's the only way we're going to find the cure."

The blonde listened to her words but the hesitation was evident in her eyes. What guarantee did she have that Klaus wouldn't hurt her? He was angry with everyone and she wasn't so sure this time she was the exception.

"You know you're sending me on a suicide mission, right?" Her voice was shaky as she looked over at the now empty Square.

Bonnie looked concerned but there was something else in her demeanor. Caroline couldn't figure out exactly what it was but there was definitely something she wasn't telling her. This new interest in getting Klaus back to working with them had to be part of some plan.

"Why do you need Klaus?" Caroline asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

The witch was silent for a moment, not sure if it was the best time to explain the situation. Eventually, Caroline's impatience and her piercing stare got the best of her. "In order for the cure to work, it must be taken by the originator of the bloodline." She shut her eyes tightly, knowing this new piece of information wasn't meant to be shared with anyone.

"What?" Caroline said between gritted teeth, her voice coming out in a muffled whisper.

"It's the only way."

"You're telling me that in order for Elena to be human again, every single vampire in Klaus' bloodline has to be human too?" Caroline rolled her eyes in disbelief, "I'm happy being a vampire, Bonnie. And how do you think Stefan and Damon will feel about this?" She paused, "And Klaus! He told me he doesn't want the cure. He'll never take it."

Bonnie looked down at the ground, thinking of the right way to word her response. "It's a chance to live a normal life. Everyone deserves that, don't you think?"

The blonde was unsure, she didn't want a normal life, not anymore. Being a vampire had transformed her as a person and she didn't want to lose that. She was being selfish and for a slight second she understood Klaus' reasonings for not wanting to cure himself. For that brief moment, she actually felt like she connected with him.

"Is there a way you can work around it?" Caroline looked at her friend hoping to see a glimpse of hope.

Bonnie narrowed her eyes, unsure of it herself. "Trust me Caroline, if it's possible for me to tweak this, I will."

The vampire smiled, it wasn't a definite yes but it wasn't a no either. "Okay, fine. I'll help you get Klaus back on the plan. But you need to promise me you will start looking for another solution, quick." She paused, taking a breather, "What about somehow separating us from the bloodline and finding a way that it still works on Elena?"

Bonnie looked at her impatiently. "How about you get Klaus back on our side and then we'll figure something out? We can't find the cure without him."

"Okay, okay." She rolled her eyes. "I'll go find the Original... pain in the ass."

* * *

Caroline was sure of one thing, if Klaus was leaving town, he wasn't going to do it without taking all his belongings with him. She made her trek through the woods, the moonlight hitting the branches in such a way that they casted long shadows along her path. She walked bravely, eyeing her surroundings cautiously but without a hint of fright. The sound of an owl's hoot rang in her ears as the snapping of twigs under her feet added to the otherwise ominous silence of the night.

She was close enough to the mansion; its lights glimmered in the distance like fireflies against the dark sky. Caroline smiled, knowing she had been correct. The Original was probably busy getting his things together, ready to leave town. Something about that thought tugged at her inner being. She scoffed, _I should just let him leave, good riddance_, she said out loud.

"He won't get far." A startling voice came from behind her.

She immediately spun around, finding Tyler, still dressed in his blood-stained form-fitting suit, standing behind her. Caroline looked around, her eyes searching for Hayley.

"She's not with me." He said, noticing her gesture.

Caroline narrowed her eyes, "Tyler–"

"I trusted you." He spat back, "All I wanted was your support and you couldn't even keep your mouth shut for one second."

"I did it to protect you. You were walking right into the lion's den." She countered, the anger and hurt evident in her voice.

She shuffled around, causing the leaves below her feet to rustle with her movements. Tyler felt betrayed but she didn't regret her decision. If anything, she had saved his life.

"My friends are dead because of you." He said accusingly.

Caroline looked down at the ground, "I don't regret what I did."

He huffed, "Then I guess this talk is pointless." He turned to leave but not before uttering one last thing, "You were right, you know?" He spoke with his back to her, "We really weren't meant to be."

She didn't say anything in return. He was gone in a flash and she was once again left all by herself. A rush of wind hit her face and in the distance a lonesome cricket played a melancholy tune that seemed to confirm what she already knew; there would be no going back this time. Her relationship with Tyler was irreparable at the point. It was time to let go. She looked down at the ground and then up at the sky, it was a strange feeling. Caroline felt like she _should've_ be crying, but no tears came to the surface of her eyes and no pain made her heart ache the way she expected.

She set her sights back on the mansion. If she couldn't work things out with Tyler she would make their break up worthwhile. Caroline had done what she believed was right, now she had to prove to herself that she'd made the right decision. Her feet moved swiftly across the field of dried leaves and snow, until she reached the front door of the Originals' home. Klaus would be easy to convince, after all Caroline knew how much he liked her. A presumptuous smile spread across her face, she'd have him working with them again in no time.

The blonde stood in front of the door of the mansion, slowly looking from side to side as if she were doing a horrific deed. She rang the doorbell once, ready to take off if there was no answer. Before she could walk away, the door swung open, causing a vacuum effect. Her hair and dress felt like they were being sucked in the direction of the entrance. She gulped, noticing him standing there before her, his blood-splattered clothes a reminder of the events that had transpired.

Klaus looked at her with slightly narrowed eyes, there was no welcoming smile or warmth to his gaze. She licked her lips, ready to switch into pleading mode. But before she could speak, he came forward, closing the distance between them and raising an eyebrow accusingly.

"What are you doing here?" His voice was harsh, as his hands wrapped around her arms.

Caroline felt a shock, like that of electricity, begin to build between them. She looked down at his hands, noticing they were still stained red.

"I need to talk to you." She replied, her voice so low that if he wasn't a vampire he probably wouldn't have heard her.

He laughed a contemptuous laugh before switching back to a stern demeanor. "We have absolutely nothing to talk about, sweetheart."

The word alone was a glimmer of hope for Caroline. How angry could he possibly be with her if he still found it in him to use pet names? She lifted her head up high, straightening her back and pumping up her chest like a rooster ready for a cock fight.

"I need your help." She said clearly and without hesitation.

The Original tilted his head, running a scrutinizing glance over her facial features. Even at his angriest, he couldn't deny that the feisty vampire was a thing of beauty. He looked at her eyes and then back at her lips. If he could find it in him to be a ruthless overpowering man instead of the gentleman he'd always been to her, he'd slam his mouth right into hers. The thought circled around in his head, wondering what the blonde would do if he were to cross this boundary. He licked his lips, the idea seeming even more tempting than before.

Caroline felt a tingle run over her body and the hair behind her neck stood up in response. She pursed her lips, wondering why the Original was being so cagey. "I said–"

"I know what you said." He interrupted. "And I won't do it."

Her mouth dropped open, unable to understand why he was denying her request. She pulled away from him, prying his hands off of her. The Original allowed it, if he hadn't, all her strength wouldn't have been enough to get her out of his hold.

"But we can't find the cure without you." She spat back.

Klaus scoffed, "Maybe you should've thought of that before plotting behind my back."

"I didn't plot anything." She snapped back, trying to pretend like she hadn't been just as guilty.

The Original placed a hand over his forehead, running it over his hair in desperation. "You lied to me, Caroline." He said between gritted teeth.

"I was the one who told you about the plan." She countered, "If I hadn't–"

"If you hadn't, _everyone_ would be dead. _Everyone._" The pause that followed made Caroline realize that what she had done had only really spared Tyler's life. If anything, Klaus had already done her a favor and no amount of begging would be enough to convince him to help them again.

"There's nothing I can do to change your mind, is there?" She asked, interlacing her fingers and fidgeting in place.

Klaus smirked, looking over at the flickering lights of the driveway. There were many things Caroline could do to make him change his mind, he furrowed his eyebrows and licked his lips at the thoughts that invaded his mind. The problem here was that he couldn't dare to ask her to do any of them. He'd always wanted her, all of her, but he didn't want her like this.

He shook his head, "Not this time. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of things to do before leaving town tomorrow."

That familiar tug in her stomach she had felt earlier in the woods, made its presence known again. Caroline took a deep breath, looking at him without speaking, hoping that her eyes were enough to convince him otherwise. She couldn't ask him to stay, not if he wasn't willing to help them.

"What happens when we find it?" She asked.

His eyes widened, surprised by the question. "You should take it."

Caroline felt her chest tightened at his response. "What?"

"You should go back to being human. Isn't that what you want? A normal, boring, human life?" He said slowly and mockingly.

She looked at him with dagger eyes. "Don't pretend you know me just because we've talked a few times."

"Oh but I do know you, Caroline Forbes. You're the girl who's too afraid to aim higher, too afraid to take chances and leave the comfort of her small town life. So what's the point of being a vampire if you're not going to reap the benefits?" He asked calmly, taking a few steps inside the residence.

Caroline stepped in further, stopping underneath the doorframe. "And where has being a vampire gotten you? You can be wherever you want and yet you seem to stick around this _small town_."

"I used to think I had a reason for sticking around." He smiled faintly, "But turns out it was all just a lie."

He raised his eyebrows, taking a hold of the door and slowly closing it in front of her. She stepped back, allowing it to shut all the way. Caroline felt the cold wind graze her skin and she stood there for a few minutes, trying to figure out why she felt like _she_ had been the one who had done _him_ wrong.

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**Feedback is greatly appreciated! xoxo**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Thank you so much for your reviews! If you had a question, I promise I will get back to you real soon! Ok, here's chapter 2, enjoy & happy readings! **

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**Chapter 2: Déjà Vu**

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The day was sunny, warm and almost too perfect for being winter. Caroline walked through the desolate forest, listening to the sound of breaking twigs under her feet. Traces of snow still remained in distinct patches across the ground. Bonnie was just a few steps ahead of her, her hands out to the side as if she were feeling the air for something tangible. Caroline remained silent, not wanting to disturb her friend who seemed to be very concentrated on what she was doing.

The rays of sunshine broke between the branches of the tall trees, some bare, some still holding on to their foliage. Tiny specks of dust were visible as the light penetrated all the way to the ground, giving the rays a rainbow effect that was truly breathtaking. A hummingbird fluttered about, causing the blonde to smile to herself. Her expression turned serious as she recalled Klaus' story about the time he'd contemplated being human again. She furrowed her eyebrows, staring at the tiny creature as it made its way from one plant to the next, unable to remain still for longer than a couple seconds. It flew close enough to her face and then suddenly bolted up higher into the forest canopy. Caroline's smile returned, wider than before.

As they continued walking, the scent of pine needles and bark became more prominent. The trees seemed to be getting taller and the sunlight that had once been visible was beginning to get blocked by the thick brush overhead. Bonnie stopped, turning to Caroline with wide eyes. Her expression was that of disbelief and this caused the blonde to worry, but before she could ask what was wrong, the witch simpered. Her smile quickly turned into a faint chuckle as she moved her hands around and twirled, feeling the air around her.

Caroline looked at her perplexed. "Are you okay?" She asked, watching her as she continued her motions.

"Caroline, if you could only feel this!" Bonnie replied enthusiastically, her hair wildly dancing in the wind.

She still didn't understand. "I'm guessing it's a witchy thing."

Bonnie stopped, making fists with her hands as if she were grabbing for something. "It's like this place is alive! I was right, it's–" She laughed knowing that what she was about to say was going to sound cliche. "It's magical."

Caroline nodded, her eyebrows perked as she looked around at the dark forest that surrounded them. "It's actually kind of eerie."

The witch looked at her with reprimanding eyes, "Well we wouldn't have to be here if you had convinced Klaus to help us."

The blonde's mouth dropped open, "We both knew it was going to be nearly impossible for him to do it. How many times have we tried to kill him now?"

"Yeah, well, serves him right." Bonnie replied.

Caroline looked away, feeling deeply guilty for having lied to him about Tyler's plan. The remorse that she felt bothered her. She knew that in some way, Klaus deserved to be punished for all he had done but it still didn't make her feel any better. She walked over to a giant log that was resting on the forest floor, taking a seat as she eyed Bonnie with curiosity.

"Do you think this will work?"

Her friend turned to her, an expression of deep thought visible on her face. "If I harness enough energy, I should be able to locate that sword." She paused, "Wherever he hid it."

The blonde hummed in response, her mind suddenly becoming infiltrated by her conversation with the Original the previous night. "He's–" She stopped before correcting herself, "_They're_ leaving town tonight. If he gets too far, will that make it more difficult for you to track it?"

Bonnie looked at her with saucer eyes, "What?" She paced around as if searching for a solution. "Why didn't you mention this earlier?"

Caroline wasn't even sure of the answer herself. Somehow, the fact that he was ditching town seemed like a matter that would only concern her and not anyone else. She rolled her eyes, feeling silly for even thinking that.

"It just escaped my mind, I guess." Her reply was feeble.

She came to her feet, dusting herself off as Bonnie continued walking further into the forest. Her footing was quick, and the blonde followed close behind until they reached an area with a giant mangled, leafless tree. It was a dark brown oak, its branches resembling claws that would frighten the bravest of children if they stumbled upon it.

"The energy is so much stronger here." Bonnie said, closing in on the tree. "I'm going to need a locating target." She stated, "That's where you come in."

Bonnie handed her a sapphire pendant, big enough to be confused with the Heart of the Ocean. Caroline held on to it, placing it around her neck and securing it in place.

"It will shine an incandescent blue, almost white, when I make contact with it." She informed her.

Caroline nodded. "So I just go anywhere around here?"

"We'll start at a close distance first and move farther apart, depending on how much energy I can harness." Bonnie looked at her with uncertainty before checking her watch, "We're kind of pressed on time."

The blonde remained a few yards away from her, she could still see her friend in between the thick trunks of the trees. She sat on the forest floor, before coming to rest on her back, her eyes fixed on the scene above her. She could hear Bonnie chanting in her indecipherable language as she studied the leaves on the trees. Tiny pockets of sky were visible between the branches, she could tell the sky was a darker blue now than when they'd first arrived. The trees were surprisingly calm, only moving slightly whenever the breeze picked up.

No matter how hard she tried to think of the bigger picture at hand, her mind kept going back to _him_. She scoffed, Tyler had broken up with her and here she was, wasting her thoughts on _him_. Caroline shook her head, finding it almost humorous. She noticed the tree branches swaying with more force, the leaves moving swiftly like flags on a pole. She came to a seated position, feeling the wind swishing past her as the leaves on the ground swirled around. Her hair covered her face as the wind picked up even more and she looked down at the necklace, noticing it was beginning to glow, just like Bonnie said it would. She smiled, taking a hold of the pendant as the color became more vibrant by the second. Her eyes shot across the forest and between the trees, until she spotted Bonnie. She looked like was being engulfed by a tornado of dust and leaves; the sight was almost frightening.

In a matter of seconds everything came to a halt. The pendant lost its luminosity and the wind died down, leaving a peaceful silence behind. She looked over at Bonnie giving her a reassuring gesture before running to her.

"It worked!" She said with a grin.

Bonnie nodded, ecstatically. "I felt it! When I made the connection, I felt–" She crinkled her forehead, "This is going to sound weird, but I felt a connection to you... to your essence."

Caroline looked at her bewildered, "That's... creepy." She replied.

"We'll try this again. This time, as soon as the pendant starts glowing, move even further away." She ordered, "If I go longer than 20 minutes without making a connection then that probably just means I'm having a harder time absorbing the energy around me. But I'll keep trying."

"Okay." Caroline replied, and in a second she was out of sight.

The blonde entered another section of the forest, something about it was appealing, almost magnetic. She walked around, studying the colorful flowers growing in part of the ground. _Vervain_. Her eyes roamed over the flowery, purple stems of the beautiful yet dangerous plant. She continued walking, trying her best not to stray too far away from her location. Her hands ran over the green, furry moss covering one of the trees, when her ears picked up the sound of dripping water. It sounded like it was falling into a deep and hollow surface. _Perhaps a cavern._ She thought, as she followed the sound. Her imagination had deceived her, the sound was coming from an old, stone well. All that remained of its little roof were the four wooden posts that had once held it up. Its base had become overrun by veiny, brown vines and its surrounding area was covered in dried brush.

Caroline tilted her head. There was something charming about it. She came to stand next to it, peering inside into the pitch black abyss below. There was definitely water below, she could hear it moving around and hitting the stone walls. She turned her back to it, leaning against it as she waited for Bonnie to make contact once again. A deep breath escaped her mouth as she turned her head back again, a smile slowly appearing on her face. Her mind returned to the days of her childhood, when she would ask her parent for coins to toss into any body of water in order to make a wish.

"If any well's gonna grant me a wish it's going to be this one." She told herself, shaking her head at her own foolishness. Her hand dove into her jean pockets, searching for a coin. One coin, that's all she needed.

_Nothing. Empty._ She wrinkled her nose, annoyed by her lack of discovery. Her stomach was beginning to growl and her eyes quickly searched the forest for anything living. If she was going to wait around, why not eat? As she scavenged the area around her, her sights became fixated on a piece of silver sticking out of the ground. Her eyes widened with excitement when she realized what it was.

"Aha!" She exclaimed, digging out the coin from underneath the earth.

Her stomach was beginning to grow impatient but she ignored it, returning with the piece of silver to the well. She thought long and hard about what she was going to wish for, as if it was her only chance to make it happen. Caroline was already a vampire, she already had what most people would likely ask for: immortality, eternal youth, wealth. She laughed, well, she didn't have wealth but only because she hadn't tried. Then she thought of wishing that Tyler would forgive her, that they'd get back together and be happy. _Happy_. Her thoughts were becoming a little more clearer now. Caroline grasped the coin with two fingers, holding it above the opening of the well.

"Just wish for something already, this is ridiculous." She told herself with a chuckle.

She nodded as if taking her own advice, "I wish to only make choices that will lead to happiness." Caroline let go of the coin, hearing it plop into the water at the bottom of the well as a satisfied smile formed on her face.

Just then, she heard something moving around the forest floor. She turned her head, spotting a brown rabbit hopping around. It was so big and fluffy that she felt extremely guilty for finding it so appetizing. She twisted her mouth before going in for the kill but stopped just before plunging her fangs into it. The blonde couldn't do it, it had been a while since she fed on animal blood and no matter how hungry she was, she knew this little creature was harmless. She let it go, watching it blend into the snow and disappear behind the trees.

The sky was beginning to darken, she knew they were running out of time. It had been almost 30 minutes since Bonnie had made contact and Caroline was preparing to go find her when the pendant began glowing again. She breathed a sigh of relief, watching it grow brighter and more radiant than before. The wind picked up again, howling between the branches and producing an almost deafening sound she hadn't heard before. She brought her hands up to her ears, watching as everything was swirling around her. Caroline fell to the ground, a brightness encompassing her before everything went black and she lost consciousness.

* * *

There was still a barely audible ringing in her ears but the surface she was resting on wasn't hard and cold like the forest floor. Caroline opened her eyes, noticing she was back in her room, the morning sun streaming through her window as she opened her eyes to the brightness of her surroundings. She was wrapped in her covers, the warmth enveloping her before she stripped them away. Her hand reached over to the night stand, taking a hold of her cell phone. There was a message waiting for her. _There's a serious conversation pending between us._ It was from Tyler, she looked at it a bit confused and puzzled by its uncanny familiarity.

She couldn't believe he was trying to get in touch with her after having that conversation a couple nights ago. Caroline decided to blow it off, calling Bonnie instead. She had to find out what happened the night before and how she had gotten home. The phone rang on the other end, but the only response was that of a voicemail box. Caroline grunted displeased, and her attempt to call Elena produced similar results. She jumped out of bed, hopped in the shower and got dressed. If the girls weren't going to pick up their phones, she was going to get in touch with them somehow.

She turned the corner out of her room and walked down the hall, checking into her purse to make sure her keys were inside. Her eyes snapped up towards the door and her feet became immobilized as if she'd hit a wall. Caroline felt her breathing hitch inexplicably as she caught sight of the Original. _What is he doing here?_ She looked at him shocked.

Klaus tilted his head, a tiny smirk formed on his lips as he raised an eyebrow at her. After the blonde still didn't move, he waved.

"Please, let me explain." He said, his voice coming through clearly even from behind the glass.

Caroline finally stepped forward, looking at him suspiciously. She didn't say anything until she opened the door. "Why are you here?"

"Can we talk?" He asked, with an expression that made him look innocent and harmless. Something about him looked familiar, in a strange way. Caroline couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"I thought you were leaving town yesterday?" She said, the groove between her eyebrows still present as she eyed him with caution.

"I was, until Rebekah decided to throw a fit and destroy one of my most precious items." He sounded a bit frustrated, angry even.

"Does this mean you're going to help us?" She smiled, toying with him like she usually did.

"Sure?" Klaus said unconvinced before giving her a bewildered look. "You look awfully chipper." He smiled, "That's definitely not the look you gave me yesterday, love."

"Speaking of yesterday, can you please explain to me what happened?" She replied, pressing her lips together.

The Original's eyes felt like fire on her skin, the fact that she could feel them on her made her uneasy. "Can I come in?" He asked.

Caroline laughed, "Like you need an invitation." A second after she said the words, her laugh faded and her demeanor grew serious. "Oh my God." She muttered.

"Are you okay?" Klaus asked, noticing she had turned as white as a ghost. Caroline looked at him accusingly to which he didn't know how to react. He looked around, feeling out of place and completely puzzled. "What?"

Caroline didn't say anything at first, she pointed a finger at him until it came in contact with his chest. The Original felt her touch, a warm wave of energy running through his system. "Are you messing with me?" She asked.

Klaus chuckled. "Sweetheart, you're really starting to act like a lunatic. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I need to sit down." She replied, heading to the living and plopping herself on the sofa.

He sat in front of her, his legs slightly open as he placed his elbows over them, resting his chin over his interlaced fingers. Caroline looked at him, realizing what was so familiar about the scene. She looked to the corner of the living room, the Christmas tree that had been there and the presents that were wrapped underneath it were gone. Her blue eyes shot back at Klaus. His clothing, his hair, his stance, it was all so familiar. The blonde shook her head, _no it can't be_.

Klaus raised his eyebrows, his lips parting slowly to release a sigh before speaking, "Love..." He said with a hint of concern.

"You're not doing this?" Caroline asked again.

He shook his head. "I don't know what _this_ is."

"I'm having major déjà vu right now." She huffed, "It must have been that locator spell or something." Her eyes wandered around the room, "Or I must have hit my head a little too hard yesterday." She said to herself.

There was a long silence between them before she spoke again. "I need to talk to Bonnie, so if you can just tell why you're here..." Her hand moved in swift motion, asking him to spill it out.

"I wanted to talk about what happened yesterday. I see that you're not nearly as angry as you were when you found out it was me." Klaus smiled, "I just want you to know that it was never my intention to take advantage of you, love."

Caroline's mouth went dry. That whole line, it was the exact same thing Klaus had told her that day. It was too similar for it to be a coincidence. "What day is it?" She asked, her heart racing as she hoped her suspicions were wrong.

"Friday." He replied.

"No." Caroline said, "What _day_ is it? Date!"

Klaus furrowed his eyebrows, "You're starting to worry me, love."

"Tell me what day it is, damn it!" She demanded.

"November 9th." He muttered, "2012."

Caroline got up from the sofa, placing her hands over her mouth. "This can't be happening." She muttered, glancing at the Original who looked even more baffled than before.

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**Please take a second to review! If you'd like, you can also follow me on Tumblr (lostinmysticfalls). Thanks for reading! xoxo**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, again! I had a feeling I was gonna have some explaining to do! As I mentioned on Tumblr, I noticed many of you were confused. This chapter will clear everything up. Just FYI, this event isn't something that we actually saw in TVD but mainly something I would've loved to have seen. Again, I will be going off-canon a bit in order to fit the events into my story. Okay, hope you guys enjoy this chapter! :)**

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**Chapter 3: Time Warp**

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"This can't be happening! I have to be dreaming." Caroline shook her head as Klaus came to his feet, closing in on her with a worried look on his face.

The blonde didn't say another word. Instead, she grabbed her purse in a hurry and scurried out the door. Klaus was outside in a flash, coming to stand before her as she stepped down from the porch. She froze, looking into his deep blue eyes, fiery and narrow.

"What's going on?" He asked.

Caroline bit down on her lip, looking around the neighborhood and noticing the trees were still dressed in bright, colorful leaves. The neighbors across the street had a festive Thanksgiving wreath on their door and there was absolutely no sign of snow anywhere on the ground.

"We've already been here." She began, "Well, not exactly _here, here_ but in this situation." Her words came out in pauses as she tried to explain.

The Original placed a hand over her arm, causing her to flinch as if afraid of the feeling she knew it would produce. A gust of wind brushed her hair over her face and tiny drops of water began falling over them. She looked up at the semi-gray sky, the sun was still visible behind the clouds, small rays escaping through their thickness. She laughed in disbelief.

"See, it's raining, just like it did that day. Everything around us is happening just the same, except–" She paused, "Except this isn't exactly how our conversation happens."

Klaus looked at her with perched eyebrows, trying to grasp the concept but it was becoming more difficult for him to understand.

"You're telling me, this _day_ has already happened?" He was confounded, "How is that even possible?" His other hand held on to her other arm as he looked down at her with soft eyes. "Yesterday we were in the woods, I saved you from the council."

Caroline shook her head. "No. That didn't happen yesterday. _Yesterday_, we were in the Square and you–" She stopped, "I need to talk to Bonnie. She has to find a way to fix this."

She tried to move around him but again the Original blocked her way. She huffed in annoyance, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You can't just tell me something like that and expect me to go on my merry way, love." He spoke with care, in an almost soothing manner. "Talk to me."

Caroline smiled, her mind going crazy and her patience wearing thin. "Klaus." The way his name came out of her lips, produced a ripple of satisfaction in his ears. He tilted his head. "The only person that can help me right now is Bonnie."

"Fine. I'll let you go find her as soon as you hear me out."

"Argh!" Caroline's reaction was that of a 5-year old. She stomped back towards the porch and took a seat on the steps. Klaus followed, sitting close enough to her to cause her to press up against the wooden post of the railing. "I can tell you exactly how this conversation goes." She rolled her eyes.

The Original smirked, resting his chin on his hand, intrigued by her words. He did a quick nod, gesturing for her to continue.

The blonde took a deep breath, "You tell me that you're sorry and I tell you to go to hell." Her lips formed a devilish smile, not wide enough to reach her eyes. "You get angry, which shouldn't be surprising. You tell me that I will regret my decision and then you decide to leave town."

"Is that so?" He muttered, amused by her swift account. "You really tell me to go to hell?"

Caroline inched a little closer to him as if drawn by some mysterious force. "What was I supposed to say?" She hissed, "_Oh it's okay Klaus, I don't mind that you used my boyfriend's body as a meat suit. I don't even care that you kissed me and that we almost–_"

Klaus' smirk became more pronounced, the look in his eyes was that of unspeakable things. Caroline looked away, afraid to even imagine what he could've possibly been thinking.

"I can't say I regret it." The Original's voice was deep and rugged, "I can still taste the flavor of your lips. What was it? Strawberry?" He said, licking his.

The astonished blonde became enraged, "You think that was funny? We could've, we could've..." She stuttered, "I would have never forgiven you." Her head turned away, her eyes avoiding his burning gaze.

"Does that mean I'm forgiven then?" He asked.

The blonde knew this conversation was completely different from the one they'd had that day. She looked down at the pavement, trying to think of a way to get it back on its right track. It wasn't going the way it should have. She wondered if changing things would have an effect in present day. She shook her head, confused by what that even meant; present day was such a mystery to her now.

"You know, you're lucky that we're in a much better place now." She immediately regretted saying that. Truth be told, their _relationship_, she shuddered at the word, wasn't any better now than it was before. The only difference was that now _he_ was the one angry with _her_.

She turned to look at him. Klaus leaned in even closer, causing her breathing to once again hitch and her heart to palpitate at an abnormal pace. Caroline put on her best poker face, trying to hide the fact that he was making her nervous.

"Really?" He purred, making her feel like a cornered, defenseless animal. "Tell me what this better place is all about, because it sounds magnificent." His mouth moved over hers like a ghost and even though they weren't touching, Caroline swore she could feel something.

She gulped, "This isn't what's supposed to happen." Her voice seemed muddled.

"It's not? But I thought we've already done this before..." The Original continued to press further, watching the blonde crumble before his eyes gave him an inexplicable rush.

Caroline felt like her heart was climbing up her throat, the ringing of its beating resonated in her ears as the pull of his gaze drew her in. Her sudden flight instinct took over and she widened her eyes at the realization of what was happening. She pushed him off of her with all her might but the Original only budged enough for her to slip away from her seated position and rise to her feet. Her breathing was shallow and her heart was still racing but she put on a brave face and turned to face him.

She rested her hands on her hips. "Okay. I heard you out. You're obviously not big on apologies, so I'll take what I can get. Can I go find Bonnie, now?"

Klaus narrowed his eyes, his full lips pressing together in a thoughtful manner. He nodded, "Very well." He came to his feet, walking towards Caroline at a calculated pace. "Go find your witch friend." He walked around her, like a predator circling his prey. "I'll see you soon, love." Caroline felt his lips graze her earlobe as he leaned into her from behind. By the time she spun around the Original was gone.

* * *

Explaining what was happening was like trying to convince someone of the veracity of some bizarre dream. Bonnie looked at her like she was crazy.

"How do you believe in vampires and magic, but you can't believe what I'm telling you?" Caroline asked, crossing her leg over the other as she leaned back on the chair in front of the Bennett fireplace.

Bonnie took a hot cup of tea in her hands and drinking from it carefully, raised a finger up in the air as if asking Caroline to give her a minute. The witch was going to need a little bit more than that to process everything and figure out what to do. Caroline looked over at the clock on the wall, it was already late afternoon and she had no idea what would happen when the day came to an end. A tinge of hope sprung inside her, she thought that maybe tomorrow, everything would go back to normal.

"So, all of this started happening _today_." Bonnie stated, "And according to you, yesterday I was working on some sort of locator spell for a _sword _in a _magical forest_?"

Caroline leaned over, her face crashing against her open palms. "Yes. Everything is happening over." She mumbled.

"I'm sorry, Caroline. I'm trying to understand everything and get all the details before I can even begin to assess the situation." The witch stood up, headed toward her bookcase and browsed the countless books in her library.

"Forget about the sword, that's not important right now." The blonde began, "Everything happened after I made a wish into this stupid old well. It's all a blur from there. All I know is that I woke up this morning in my bed and now I'm somehow stuck reliving a day that has already passed." Her blue eyes pierced through Bonnie's hazel stare.

Her friend's eyes suddenly wandered around the room, searching for answers. "Can I ask what you wished for?"

"To only make choices that will lead to happiness." Caroline admitted.

Bonnie nodded, "Okay. Assuming that the well truly was magical, then you must be stuck in some kind of time warp."

Caroline tapered her eyes and bit down on her lip, her thoughts clouded by this information. "How do I stop it?"

The witch's mouth twisted at one end, a sign that Caroline took as negative. "A time warp usually ends on its own." She explained, "It's kind of a way for a person to come to a certain realization or learn a valuable lesson." Her eyebrows perched up, as she held up her grandmother's grimoire. "Unfortunately this can't help us. I'm afraid you'll have to figure this one out on your own."

Caroline sighed in resignation and she let herself melt into the chair before realizing there was somewhere she had to be. "The memorial!" She exclaimed, "I was supposed to be in the church with Tyler and the rest of the group. Connor showed up. Tyler got shot..." She spit out pieces of information like a data machine.

"Wait, what? Who's Connor?" Bonnie's eyes widened in shock.

Caroline jumped off her seat. "Bonnie, don't worry about it. This already happened, I know how it ends and trust me, everything will be fine. What happens if I change the order of things? You know, the events, what I do, where I go, what I say..."

Bonnie set the grimoire down, looking at Caroline in a pensive manner. "I think that's the point."

"Are you sure?" She asked unconvinced, "This won't cause some kind of butterfly effect in present time?"

The witch shook her head, "Like I said before, the whole point of a time warp is for you to come to a realization. You didn't necessarily travel back in time." She paused, "Well technically you did, but it's not the same thing." Bonnie pursed her lips, knowing her explanation was a bit confusing. "Whatever you change in the course of today, won't have an effect on present day. After all, it's not like you can jump in a time machine and go back to where you're supposed to be, correct?"

Caroline nodded, "Yeah."

"Do things the way you feel are correct. Follow your instincts and soon enough you'll figure out what you're supposed to take from this whole experience. When that happens, everything should go back to normal."

The word 'should' wasn't very reassuring but Caroline had nothing more to go on. She chose to listen to Bonnie and take her advice. Her attention returned to the clock on the wall, she knew Tyler had been taken to the hospital after the church incident and he was supposed to be there now. An uneasy feeling took over, knowing that things between them were over, how was she supposed to act with him now? A thought came to her, no matter what she did or how she acted with him, things with Tyler were what they were back in the present. _But what if this realization has to do with him? _A sudden smile appeared on her face at the thought.

"Thanks for your help, Bonnie." She walked over to her friend and gave her a tight squeeze. "I need to go find Tyler. I guess I'll see you tonight for the lantern lighting." She said, leaving Bonnie with a raised eyebrow and a wrinkled nose as she tried to make sense of her words.

* * *

The sun was already setting, the sky was covered in a blend of orange and red hues, and splashes of blue and purple lined the clouds, as Caroline reached the Mystic Falls hospital. Her eyes took a minute to readjust to the bright lights inside, and she walked down the halls until she found his room. She opened it, finding it deserted.

"Caroline." A female voice came from behind her and she found the young brunette doctor smiling at her when she turned around.

"Hi, Meredith." She pursed her lips, "I thought I'd find Tyler here."

The doctor shook her head, "He hasn't been here. Is everything okay?"

The blonde crinkled her forehead, "I'm sorry. Was the memorial for Pastor Young today?"

Meredith nodded, "It was. And I heard about what happened. Better him than one of you guys, right?"

"Him?"

"Klaus." She said in a low voice. "Damon told me the hunter attacked him at the church."

A gasp escaped Caroline's throat. The only explanation she could think of was that after their talk that morning, Klaus had decided to stick around for a while longer instead of leaving town like he was supposed to.

"Right." Caroline ran her hand through her hair, pretending like she knew what the young doctor was talking about. "It's been a long day." She muttered, giving Meredith and unconvincing grin. "I gotta get going. Thanks, I guess."

She hurried out of the hospital and into the street, turning to look one way and then the other. She thought about heading home, going to bed and trying to sleep it off; it had been too much for one day. However, she knew her curiosity would never allow her to get any rest. She had to find out why Klaus had been at the church and how he had gotten injured instead of Tyler.

The streetlights were all lit by now. The sun had completely disappeared behind the horizon and darkness enveloped the town as Caroline made her way to the Mikaelsons' mansion. She remembered that just two days ago she had been there asking Klaus to help them with the cure situation. A chuckle rang from her mouth, realizing that no one was even aware of such thing at this time. It was a weird feeling having knowledge of things that others were oblivious to.

Caroline reached the door and without even thinking it twice, rang the doorbell a few times. After a couple seconds, a light went on in one of the rooms and she heard footsteps approaching her as she waited for the door to open.

There he was. Caroline's mouth parted, surprised by how he was dressed; it was the first time he'd seen him look so informal. He leaned against the doorframe as the door swung open just enough for him to fit in between. His hair was a mess, a white wife-beater clung to his chest and abs, making his shoulders look more round and exposing his defined arms. Her eyes swept over his torso and his flannel pajama pants before they came to rest on his face.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked in a smooth, sultry tone.

"I heard about what happened today." She replied, still a bit distracted by his appearance.

"Do you want to come in or are you planning on staying on the porch all night?" He said with a smirk.

Caroline nodded, relenting a faint smile as she walked towards the open door. The Original granted her entrance and then closed the door behind him as he walked them to the family room.

"How did it happen?" She asked, taking a seat on the couch.

Klaus lifted up his shirt, exposing his abdomen. Caroline's eyes widened and then she quickly looked away, feeling a strange sensation in her chest that quickly spread to her stomach. He smiled, pleased by her reaction and then continued to remove his shirt completely.

"What are you doing?" The blonde asked, her pitch going up a few octaves.

He chuckled, "Don't worry, I'm not trying to seduce you. After all, you're too smart for that, aren't you?"

She gulped, redirecting her sights on him again. Her eyes trailed over him and she came to her feet when she saw the marks on his body. She furrowed her eyebrows, stepping closer to him and noticing the bruises. They were more marked on his chest and abs than on his back but visible nonetheless.

"I don't understand, how are you not completely healed by now?"

Klaus looked at her attentively, "Whatever he's using is meant to annihilate a vampire."

"Well, it's a good thing you're not an ordinary vampire then." Caroline replied.

He smiled, "Were you worried about me? Is that why you're here?"

The blonde laughed, "Please." She muttered.

Klaus chuckled, "Then why did you come? Aren't you supposed to be looking for a way to return to _present time_?"

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Look I know you don't believe me but trust me, this isn't how things happened. You weren't supposed to get shot today at the church, it was supposed to be Tyler and you were supposed to be long gone."

"Well there's a funny thought." He said in a mischievous tone.

She raised her eyebrows, "What's a funny thought?"

"Aren't you even the least curious about where Tyler is then? Why did you come to see me and not him?"

Caroline shook her head. "Look, stop making assumptions with that twisted little brain of yours. Why don't you put your shirt back on and tell me what happened, instead?"

Klaus licked his lips but relented, nonetheless. After putting his shirt back on he proceeded to tell Caroline everything that happened earlier in the day after he left her house. She listened to him carefully, realizing that if there was something Klaus was good at, it was making conversation. He was worldly and much wiser than her, his thousand years of life had given him a way with words and that was something she couldn't deny. He poured them each a glass of Bourbon and even made her laugh a few times with his account, even though the events were no laughing matter. There was something about the way he acted when he was around her that made her feel like she was talking to a perfectly normal individual instead of a loathsome foe.

"So it was my fault that this happened to you." She stated, drinking from her third glass of Bourbon.

"If you're at fault then that implies there is something you have to do to make it up to me." He replied flirtatiously.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Well, Tyler was or _is_ my boyfriend and he set you up after you went looking for me, so you can see why I'd feel that way."

"Why are you being so nice to me, love?" He asked, catching her off guard.

"I'm not being nice." She countered.

"You're certainly not acting resentful or even conniving for that matter." He said, looking at her wonderstruck.

Caroline looked around the room, searching for a clock. She had been there longer than planned and knew this conversation was now turning into something it shouldn't. Her eyes caught sight of an old grandfather clock across the room. It would be midnight in a few minutes.

"I think I should go." She announced, placing her empty glass on the center table and coming to her feet.

Klaus didn't make an attempt to stop her, instead he followed her out of the room and down the hall towards the door. She reached for the handle but he swiftly beat her to it, opening the door for her ever so gallantly. Caroline stepped outside, turning to him with a soft smile. She opened her mouth to speak but froze when she heard the grandfather clock inside the house chime, announcing the arrival of the midnight hour and the start of a new day.

Caroline had only blinked once and Klaus was gone, the whole scene before her eyes had vanished and in an instant had been replaced by a very different but familiar setting. She was still standing at the entrance to the Mikaelson mansion but there were countless of people before her. The men were dressed in fancy suits and the women in beautiful ball gowns. The blonde felt her chest constrict and her stomach turn to knots when she realized where she was or better yet _when_. She looked down at her beautiful blue gown, quite fit for Cinderella herself. Her gaze immediately fell upon her wrist, noticing the gorgeous diamond studded bracelet that was wrapped around it.

She stepped inside, round the corner into the party area, and looked through the crowd until she spotted him. Her eyes came to meet his as a stunned expression took over his face. His devilish good looks were adorned by an expensive form-fitting suit, his black jacket contrasting perfectly with the white shirt and vest he wore underneath and the bow tie that wrapped around under his collar. Caroline felt a strange heat wave invade her insides as he watched him leave the woman he was with and make his way to her from across the room. She started to think that maybe his smoldering good looks would be her downfall into damnation.

* * *

**I'd really appreciate the feedback! Let me know how I'm doing & if you have any questions feel free to send me a message! :) xoxo**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while but I've been really sick. Luckily, it looks like the worst part is over :) Hope you guys like this chapter & I'm glad I was able to clear up your confusion! **

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Ball**

* * *

The moment was so real but her emotions were a whirlwind of things she couldn't even begin to describe. Caroline felt herself shiver as if a cold wind had hit her skin, she watched Klaus as he got closer to her, and gulped, prepared for what was to come.

He tilted his head, his eyes portrayed that look that she'd already gotten so used to. A faint smirk appeared on his lips and she could tell he was trying to sound smooth. "Good evening." His greeting came out like a purr.

She smiled. "Wow." Caroline blurted out with a hint of sarcasm, scanning the room and nodding to herself. Everything was exactly the same and yet, so different at the same time.

"You look absolutely stunning." Klaus said with a smile.

The blonde couldn't help but laugh. He was trying a little too hard to be seductive and yet she found it almost adorable. Curiosity got the best of her, she couldn't help wondering what would've happened if she hadn't spent all night trying to avoid him and had actually taken the time to figure him out instead.

"I'm sorry, did I say something funny?" He asked, raising an eyebrow questioningly and becoming ever so serious.

That was the thing about Klaus, up until that day he knew only basic facts about her; things that he could've found out by reading up any of the town's records. However, he was always on his toes, ready to switch into attack mode if needed. She was pretty sure that present-day Klaus would never hurt her but _this _Klaus, he was a ticking time bomb. The Klaus that stood before her knew absolutely nothing about how far their relationship had progressed. She smiled, almost pleased with herself for having the upper hand.

"No." She answered, clearing her throat. "It's just that–" She looked around, noticing Elena was with both Salvatores and remembering her own reason for being at the Ball in the first place. "This situation is a bit bizarre, don't you think?"

"Maybe a bit." The Original licked his lips. "Would you like something to drink?"

She smiled, "Sure."

He raised his arm to his side, waiting for her to grab a hold of it so they could walk side by side. She felt her heart thump at a quickened pace but did as she was expected. They walked into the ball room, an array of perfume and cologne smells hit her nose as she passed the guests. Klaus continued to guide her through the crowd until they came to a long dark hallway.

She halted. "Where are we going?" Caroline asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"You'll find out soon enough, sweetheart." He gently tugged at her arm and she relented, taking a step forward to continue down the path.

The blonde didn't protest one bit, it was strange but she felt like she could trust him even knowing his motives at the time weren't the best for anyone but him. They walked down the hall, passing four closed mahogany doors before he finally opened the fifth one on their right. A devious smile spread over his face and the low lit hallway made his normally greenish-blue eyes look dark and menacing. He pulled down on the handle, allowing her to enter the room first.

Caroline's mouth parted and she gasped at the sight in front of her. She turned to him, her eyebrows furrowing and her mouth twisting in a disapproving manner. "What is this?" She growled.

In the corner of the room was a long sofa, illuminated only by a couple of lit lamps. Kol was resting on it, lounging carelessly, with a young girl on his lap and another seated next to him. The one on his lap looked at her with a dazed expression before tilting her head to the side to exposer her neck. The Mikaelson brother bit down on it, savoring the blood and licking his lips as it dripped over his chin. Caroline was appalled, repulsed, sickened, and yet her vampiric instincts craved the blood. The smell was starting to become almost irresistible.

"You brought a friend." The youngest Original said, eyeing Caroline from head to toe.

She didn't know Kol very well but from what had happened so far, she knew he was perhaps even more dangerous than Klaus. He was definitely the loose cannon of the family and always seemed to do things for pure amusement. He licked his lips suggestively, keeping his eyes locked on the blonde before a glowering smirk formed on his lips.

Klaus stepped in front of her, as if trying to shield her from view. "Don't get any ideas."

Caroline grabbed Klaus arm, tugging at his suit until he turned around. "This isn't what I meant by _drink_." She muttered quietly but still very much offended by the situation.

He pursed his lips. "You're a vampire Caroline. It's time you start living like one, love."

She shook her head. "This isn't the way I like to feed and you know it."

Klaus gave her a puzzled look. "I do?"

Caroline took a deep breath, staring up at him with pleading eyes. "I don't drink from humans, and if you're going to be insistent about it then I think it's best if I leave."

The blonde did a quick turn about and fled out the door, speeding down the hall into the main room. Klaus was faster than her and caught up before she even reached the end of the hall. She gave him a reprimanding look, crossing her arms over her chest and lifting an eyebrow at him. The guests in the room were completely oblivious to their presence, even Mayor Lockwood seemed to be busy with other people to pay any kind of attention.

"Okay." He began, "We'll do it your way, then."

She furrowed her eyebrows, watching as his facial features softened in order to make her feel more comfortable. Klaus had no idea but he was actually doing something to please someone else rather than himself. Caroline always thought he was selfish, controlling, and manipulative, but he was willing to compromise as long as it made her happy. This in turn made her stomach flutter as if a million little butterflies were taking flight at once.

"I need a drink." She said, pressing her lips together before finally smiling.

He nodded, "Will a glass of white wine do?"

"Yes." She answered, watching as his face lit up by her response.

Caroline watched him walk away, quickly coming back to the reality of her situation. Bonnie had told her that a time warp involved being stuck repeating the same day over and over. The blonde knew there was something else going on, as she found herself reliving yet another day that had absolutely no connection to the previous one. Caroline bit down on her lip, contemplating her options very carefully. She could leave the Ball and go look for Bonnie or she could stay and find out what would've happened that day if she had done things differently. Then there was also Matt, that little monster Kol would be after him for who knows what reason and Caroline felt like she had to do something to stop that from happening. She looked around the room, eyeing the town folk as she waited for Klaus to return. It wasn't long before she spotted Rebekah's pin straight blonde hair and she instinctively made her way towards her.

"Rebekah."

She turned around, her emerald dress hugging her body in a form-fitting manner. The Original gave her a demeaning look. "I see Nik decided to be charitable with you." Her eyes scanned her dress and lingered over the diamond bracelet.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Matt came here because he's a good person. He thinks that deep down you actually have feelings." She muttered. "I wouldn't let him down if I were you. You could use a friend, after all." Caroline began walking away but stopped dead on her tracks and turned around to say one last thing, "And keep your brother Kol away from him."

No matter what Rebekah's initial intentions with Matt had been, Caroline knew she was just a lonely girl looking for some acceptance. Sometimes Matt was too nice for his own good, but it was his best weapon when it came to the Original sister.

Caroline leaned against one of the tall tables that had been set up across the main room. "I thought you had left." Klaus' voice came from behind her, delicately brushing over her hair. He stepped around her, handing her a glass of bubbly wine.

"What if I had?" She asked, taking a sip.

He narrowed his eyes as if in deep thought. "I want to say I would have done nothing but something tells me I would've gone after you." He admitted.

Caroline drank from her glass, taking big gulps of wine as his words caused her to act nervously. Klaus watched her with a smile on his face. Her reactions were becoming baffling to him, he was certain he was having some kind of effect on her. He looked away and scoffed at himself, unable to believe it.

"What?" Caroline asked, noticing his expression.

"You're acting differently than I'd expect." He said, watching her attentively.

She felt her cheeks flush as she looked away. "How so?"

The Original took a couple steps towards her, the distance between them becoming almost nonexistent. "Like you're enjoying yourself."

Caroline chuckled nervously, unable to keep her eyes locked on his for longer than a second. Her breathing seemed to have become more rapid and she struggled to look serene. She couldn't do anything else but smile and drink from her wine glass. It felt like her walls were crumbling before her, leaving her vulnerable and at the mercy of the man who had caused so much havoc in their lives. Caroline eyed his lips, their pink flesh acting like a magnetic pull she was trying so hard to resist.

The eldest Mikaelson interrupted the moment just in time. "I need you to come with me." He told Klaus and the Original responded by drifting away from her and straightening his jacket.

He smiled, "I'll be right back."

Caroline released a deep breath. There was no way this would have happened then, she would have never let Klaus get that close to her. And no matter how much she hated herself for admitting it, this was a result of the way she felt about him now. She no longer feared him; she had seen how human he could be and it was something that drew her to him. He intrigued her in a way she couldn't explain and the fact that he was extremely handsome didn't help her case. It was in those instances that she felt herself falling, that she forced herself to snap back into reality and push him away.

The Original siblings stood on the spiral staircase, looking over the crowd as if they were royalty. Caroline shook her head, realizing that's technically what they were; having created the whole vampire race and all. She looked over at Elena and the Salvatores who were engrossed by Esther's appearance next to her children. After a few moments, Klaus returned to her side, giving her a flirty smirk.

"You heard my brother, this dance is a tradition. Shall we?" He asked, placing one of his hands palm up in front of her.

Caroline laid hers on top of his, "When's the last time you actually did this dance?" She teased.

Klaus' smirk became more pronounced, "It's been a while but I do remember my last partner wasn't nearly as radiant and beautiful as you."

The blonde tilted her head and smiled, as they took their place on the dance floor. Their steps were synchronized in perfect harmony and she looked away shyly, noticing the Original had yet to take his eyes off of her. She placed her hand on his shoulder and he brought his to the small of her back. His touch ignited something in her, and she felt her insides flare up like a burning fire.

"I'm glad you came." He said, looking down at her as they spun around. His mouth was becoming even more distracting to her now that she had him close again.

"I needed something to take my mind off of things." She replied, and then the reminder of her dad's death hit her like a bucket of cold water.

"I heard about your father." He said, pulling her in even closer to him.

Caroline looked up at him, "Can we not talk about that?" She murmured, watching him nod in response.

They were silent for a few seconds, dancing like two leaves caught up in the same wind current. Her blonde locks swayed along with her dress and she smiled at him when he tried to make his moves more noticeable. He leaned in to whisper in her ear, telling her how the dress he had chosen for her made her look even more ravishing. His warm breath was soothing, causing a gratifying shiver to run down the back of her neck. Klaus stared at her with blazing eyes and she felt hopeless to his charm. Everything about him was alluring, his eyes, his smell, his voice, it was as if she was a helpless bug being drawn to a bright blue light. A tiny smile appeared on his face as his eyes moved down to her pink, glossy lips. He twirled her around and let go of her hand, causing her to suddenly come face to face with Matt. The look of surprise and disappointment on her face was more than obvious.

"Not who you were expecting?" He asked, crinkling his forehead.

Caroline looked around, noticing Klaus was now dancing with another girl. He turned in her direction, making eye contact with her. His stare was longing but she still felt a little envious of the girl he was now with. Matt turned to look in that direction, noticing what was going on.

"Why are you here with Klaus?" He asked with a hint of anger.

The blonde looked up at him, pressing her lips together before speaking. "It's a long story. A _very _long story." She muttered. "How's Rebekah?"

Matt looked at her confused. "She's fine. Why?"

"I was just a little worried about you, that's all."

He raised his eyebrows as if she had no reason to be. "You're here with the devil himself and you're worried about me?"

The fact that he referred to Klaus that way made her uncomfortable. The blonde became defensive, "You don't know him very well." She replied dryly.

Matt stopped dancing, "And you do?" He was irritated. "I'm sorry Care, but you've known him just as long as I have. Did you forget he was the one who asked Tyler to bite you? You almost died because of him!"

Caroline walked over to the side of the dance floor, allowing room for everyone else to continue dancing. "I can't explain right now, and even if I did you probably wouldn't be able to understand it."

"Understand what? That you have some twisted thing for him? I watched you two dancing, it's almost like you've forgotten all about Tyler and his sire bond."

An avalanche of guilt washed over her as she heard Matt's words. The music stopped and everyone dispersed around the room. Of course Matt was angry with her, to him it had only been days since Klaus had turned Tyler into a hybrid and Klaus had been in her house to cure the lethal bite. Not to mention he was right, the Original had been the one who ordered him to bite her in the first place and the swooped in like a hero to save her.

She played around with the bracelet on her wrist, "You know what? This conversation doesn't even matter because you won't remember any of it."

Matt gave her a mocking laugh, "You can't compel me, Caroline."

She smiled, knowing that wasn't what she was referring to. "Forget it."

"Tyler is out there trying to break his sire bond, while you're here with Klaus. Don't you see how wrong this is?"

"Okay! I get it Matt! I'm a horrible person. Tyler is who-knows-where going through constant pain, while I'm here having a good time with his worst enemy! I know, this isn't right." She stopped to take a breath, "But what am I supposed to do about it?" Her voice softened, she knew she could say anything she wanted; everything would be erased and forgotten anyway. "I can't explain what I'm feeling, I just know something is happening. I don't know exactly what it is but I have been trying and trying to get rid of these feelings and they just keep coming back stronger than before."

"Caroline–" Matt's effort to talk fell flat.

"No, Matt. I need to tell someone. I hated him, I really did. He has done terrible things but I've seen the good in him. I know there's still time for him to turn things around. I can help him."

"You're not making any sense right now, Caroline." He spat back, "There is no saving him." His blue eyes focused on someone behind her, his nostrils flared in anger and he looked back at her with as much fury. He shook his head and turned to walk away without saying another word.

She saw Klaus out of the corner of her eye as he came to her side. "There's no saving _him_?" He repeated.

Caroline watched as his expression turned to sadness. "He's wrong, you know? I think everyone deserves a second chance." She admitted.

"Some of us have doomed ourselves too much to be redeemed." He said calmly before smiling. "I did however, find your previous confession quite intriguing." Klaus smirked coyly.

Caroline turned away from him. "I need some fresh air."

* * *

Night had fallen, the sky was black with only the faintest sign of a few scattered stars above. The trees outside were adorned with bright white stringed lights and the horse-drawn carriage, along with the horse, rested on the pavement. Caroline felt his presence and heard his footsteps behind her as she continued to contemplate the majestic animal. The wind blew her golden curls and she wrapped her thin blue sash around her arms.

"What do you feel, Caroline?" He asked in a low humming voice.

The blonde bit down on her lip, listening to his footsteps and sensing him getting closer. "You must have heard wrong." She began, "Don't dwell too much on words that will be meaningless to you tomorrow."

Klaus huffed, "Then why don't we make the best of it tonight?"

Caroline turned around with eyebrows raised and mouth open, "I don't know what kind of girl you think I am but sorry to disappoint you. You and I are not going to make _the best_ of _anything_ tonight." She paused, "Or any other night for that matter."

He tried his best not to laugh, noticing she was still enthralled by the four-legged creature before them. "Do you want to ride it?" Caroline raised an eyebrow and gasped, causing him to burst into laughter. "The horse! Do you want to ride the horse!" He clarified.

The blonde turned crimson, laughing at her own assumption and embarrassed by what she had pictured in her head instead. "No." She muttered between laughs. "I like horses but only from afar."

It took a minute for both of them to stop laughing over the misinterpretation. "So tell me, why do you think it's too late for you to redeem yourself?" She asked.

Klaus crinkled his forehead and licked his lips before answering, "There's too much darkness where I come from. Someone like you would never understand."

"Someone like me?"

He smiled, "You're like that light at the end of a tunnel that makes you think you're almost safe but then... it ends up being just a mirage."

"What makes you say that?"

"Because no one as good as you would ever care about someone like me." He muttered with downcast eyes.

Caroline felt like someone was tugging at her heart, compressing it so much that it ached. "Have you ever thought that maybe you're the one that never seems to care about anyone else but yourself." She gulped.

Klaus' expression became stern. "Nobody cares about me, why should I care about anyone else?"

The blonde huffed, looking away. "I know this is going to sound weird but I've seen a glimmer of hope." She glanced at him, "You can be good when you want to be."

"You don't know me." He shot back, almost offended by her compliments.

"I know you like to draw." This assertion caused the Original's eyes to widen in surprise, "I know you love art and traveling, and that you know a lot about the world and other cultures."

Klaus looked at her in astonishment. He couldn't figure out how she had found out things about him he'd never shared. "Who told you that?"

She smirked. "You did." He looked at her like she was crazy. "But most importantly, I know that your relationship with you father _and_ your mother is in large part what influenced your actions and all the horrible things you've done throughout the years."

The Original looked upset. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing but if you think you're going to somehow change who I am by acting like you care, you're wrong."

He was having a hard time accepting that anyone would take the time to get to know him. It was almost like he was pushing her away, afraid that if he got too close she would only end up betraying him. Caroline looked down at the ground, knowing that he had very good reasons not to trust her, and he wasn't even aware of all the things she had already done to him.

"I'm not playing any games. If anything, this is the most honest I've ever been with you."

"You say that like we've known each other a long time."

Caroline smiled. "Well, we're not complete strangers."

A voice echoed from the house, causing both Caroline and Klaus to snap their heads in that direction. "Nik!" Rebekah called out to him. "Mother's ready to give a toast, she wants everyone to be present." She scowled.

Klaus looked back at Caroline, pursing his lips before heading back inside the house. She followed him, aware that the champagne they were about to drink was laced with Elena's essence and therefore, would bind him and his siblings together. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach.

"Klaus." She said hesitantly. The Original stopped as soon as he reached the house's entrance. "Don't drink the champagne."

He looked at her suspiciously. "Why not?"

"Just don't drink it." She repeated. "Trust me."

Klaus furrowed his eyebrows and nodded not sure exactly why he was so inclined to believe her.

* * *

They entered his study, it looked exactly how she remembered it. Papers were scattered on the desk, paintings hung on the wall and works in progress sat on easels around the room. She smiled, heading directly for the artwork on the table. Klaus proceeded to tell her all about his paintings and the famous museums that now housed a few of them. Caroline was fully interested in what he had to say, nodding and smiling whenever he said something she hadn't yet heard.

"How did you know I liked art?" He stepped beside her, his shoulder lightly bumping into hers as he took his stance.

"I already told you." She said with a smile, "But don't ask me to explain because we'd probably be here all night, otherwise." As soon as she mentioned the time, she looked around the room, searching for a clock. "What time is it?"

"Why? Does Cinderella have to leave the Ball before midnight?" He teased, cocking his head to the side.

"I can assure you this is no laughing matter." She grumbled.

Klaus chuckled, looking down at his wrist. "Don't worry you have about twenty minutes before your dress turns into rags and your horse-drawn carriage turns into a pumpkin."

The blonde shook her head and grinned, "Why don't you ever let others see this side of you?"

The Original became serious again, "And why would I want to appear weak in front of anybody else, love?"

"You think your humanity makes you weak? I think it makes you relatable."

He raised his eyebrows, taking a few steps aside and examining his unfinished paintings. Caroline had a feeling she had once again unintentionally hit a wrong chord. She bit down on her lip, following him with her eyes. Her gaze roamed over his back and her chest began to tighten with unexplained feelings.

"Have you ever been to Paris?" He asked, running his fingers over the edges of the canvas. A dark blue, starry sky was painted on it but the rest was incomplete.

"Nope." She replied.

Klaus turned to her, getting closer with each step. His gaze was overpowering and it made Caroline's blood pump faster than usual. He closed the distance between them and she eyed his facial features, studying every curvature and line. He felt that strange comforting sensation again and he knew that she was allowing him to get this close to him because she wanted to.

"Come with me, Caroline." He murmured, his face so close to her that she could feel the heat radiating from his skin. "You have the potential to be great, better than anything you can be in this sorry excuse for a town. I can show you."

"It's not that simple." She said, realizing she was running out of time for the day. "I can't just leave and travel the world with you while my friends are here at the mercy of who-knows-what."

"So your happiness will always be dependent on your friends?" His question filled her mind with doubts. He placed his hands on her arms, "Don't you want to know how different your life can be?" His nose grazed hers and she closed her eyes, the sensation causing her to lose focus.

"I don't know what I want." She whispered.

He smiled complacently, his form becoming more transparent with each second that passed. It was like he was a ghost, slowly drifting away from her. She watched his mouth move but his voice was muffled and eventually he went completely silent. Everything before her dissolve into a cloud of nothing, until she was standing all alone again.

The door to the Lockwood mansion was in front of her as the early morning sun beamed overhead. The chirping of birds filled the air as she felt a cool breeze envelop her. Caroline looked down at the box she was holding in her hands. All of Tyler's belongings and the things he had given her during their time together were perfectly organized inside. She was dressed in a red dress and a denim jacket and her hair fell over her shoulders in waves of gold. Behind the door, she heard Klaus' voice, thunderous and reprimanding as he lamented the loss of Connor and his hybrid's failed attempt to keep him alive. Tyler and Hayley's voices also came through and Caroline realized this was the first time she'd be seeing Tyler since their real break up in the woods. She held in a laugh at the irony of the situation, realizing that she was coming to his house expected to fake-dump him and play up a stupid and unnecessary ruse.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please leave me a quick (or long, whatever you prefer) comment and tell me what you thought. Until next time! xoxo**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm not even going to lie, I'm way too happy about what happened on TVD this week (4x14). If that makes me a horrible person then so be it...**

**Okay, moving on... Some of you are really going to like this chapter and some of you are probably going to hate it. Hopefully the majority of you enjoy though ;)**

* * *

**Chapter 5: One Drink**

* * *

She had been expected to arrive at the house five minutes earlier. Already, she was delaying the course of events by overanalyzing the situation. Her phone vibrated in her pocket, and she carefully set the box down on the pavement to pull it out. It was Hayley, sending her a third message saying that Klaus wasn't going to stick around for long. Caroline rolled her eyes, sighing feebly and lifting up the box again at a sluggish pace. She raised her fist up, ready to knock, when the door swung open with force. Klaus' angry demeanor quickly disappeared when he saw the pretty blonde standing in front of him. She was frozen in place, not knowing what to do or what to say.

Caroline could smell the alcohol on him, if he wasn't drunk, he was pretty close to crossing that line. Tyler came up from behind Klaus, his dark hair peering through the side of the doorframe. He raised his eyebrows at her as if expecting her to say the first words. She furrowed her eyebrows, suddenly confused by what she was supposed to do. Tyler tilted his head–this time in an impatient manner–before she finally snapped out of her daze.

She cleared her throat, "What are you doing here?" Her question came out more with a hint of curiosity than reproach. Her features were soft and her voice was mellow.

In the background, Tyler shook his head in disapproval. "Caroline." He said, cocking his head to the side again.

Klaus ignored the hybrid, keeping his eyes on the blonde and proceeding to answer her question. "Hybrid business, sweetheart."

Caroline pressed her lips together, a slight ghost of a smile barely visible on them. Klaus' eyes roamed over her, amazed by the lack of imperfections on her flawless skin. He zoned in on the box she held between her hands.

"Caroline." Tyler said again, this time sounding agitated. The blonde shifted her gaze to him.

"What's with all the junk?" Klaus asked in a mocking tone.

Caroline looked at him for a quick second before looking back at Tyler. "I'm here to return my ex-boyfriend's belongings." She replied bitterly.

"Ah," Klaus said, stepping out of the way and giving her just enough space to go through.

The blonde walked inside, brushing into the Original in the process. That familiar feeling in her stomach took over at the touch, and her heart felt like it was going to explode out of her chest. She couldn't understand how the simplest touch could cause such a widespread reaction.

Hayley was seated on the couch but she didn't speak a single word. She just listened and watched everything unfold, with a pouty look on her face.

The blonde walked straight to Tyler; she could see the confused expression on his face at how she was handling the situation. She pushed the box into him, forcing him to take a hold of it. His hands came up to grasp the sides of the brown cardboard box as his eyes buried themselves into hers. He had so many questions he wished he could ask but Klaus' presence made it impossible for him to say anything.

"Everything's in there. Your clothes, pictures, gifts, charm bracelet..." She glanced over at Hayley, "You can do whatever you want with them. I have no use for them now." The look in her eyes was frigid.

She knew Tyler and Hayley thought this was all staged, but to Caroline it had never felt so real. She was aware that this would inevitably happen and in a way she was finally having closure.

"I can only assume you've had the misfortune of meeting Hayley." Klaus blurted out as he leaned against the doorframe. She turned towards him, his eyes expressing a sort of sadness Caroline wasn't very accustomed to. She looked at him and nodded lightly, with pursed lips. "I'll leave you three alone, sounds like you have a lot to talk about."

"That's not necessary." Her reply was quick. "I'm actually done here."

She looked at Tyler and without saying another word, turned back and made her way to the door. She didn't feel sadness or regret. On the contrary, she felt a sense of liberation that could only be obtained by doing the right thing. She breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at herself, pleased by her actions. When she reached the door she glanced up at Klaus, his face stern and portraying a sense of understanding. She raised her eyebrows at him and walked out the door, bumping into him again as the space between wasn't large enough for her to walk through comfortably.

Klaus took one quick look at Tyler and then at Hayley, cocking an eyebrow and slipping out the door to follow her. Caroline was already at her car by the time he reached the bottom step. He called out to her, causing the blonde to stop what she was doing and focus on him.

"I know you probably want to be alone." He said, making his way around the front of the car and taking a few steps towards her. "But you look like you could use a drink." His smirk made his dimples deepen on his face, making his offer that much more irresistible.

"You just never give up, do you?" She replied in a smooth tone, causing his smirk to turn into a grin.

"I'm not one to be easily deterred."

Caroline bit her lip, as the Original leaned over on her car with a pleading expression plastered on his face. "Don't you have somewhere to be?" She asked, remembering that Elena was currently suffering from hallucinations.

Klaus' eyes widened as if he had just remembered something important. "You're going to ask me to help your friend."

She smiled, shaking her head. "Actually, I was thinking I would be able to help with that problem."

His brow crinkled, intrigued by her suggestion. "What do you know about that?"

Caroline twirled her keys around her finger, concealing the information and knowing that this, in turn, made the Original more impatient. He pulled out his cellphone, dialing someone's number and bringing it up to his ear. Caroline remained silent, listening intently to the conversation. Stefan picked up on the other end as Klaus began to vaguely inform him that he knew exactly what Elena was going through. The younger Salvatore was skeptical.

"She's my most precious asset, why would I lie about that?" Klaus replied.

Caroline didn't respond well to his words. She was sick and tired of him wanting Elena's blood to create another useless hybrid army. She twisted her mouth, glowering at him as he continued speaking. After a few minutes of more arguing she extended her hand, asking him for the phone. Klaus looked at her but paid no attention. She lifted her eyebrows, moving her hand and insisting that he'd hand it over. After not listening, she grabbed it from his hands. The Original could have easily kept a tight grip on it and not let her have it but instead, he relented without much objection.

"Stefan." She began, "I know what you have to do."

"Caroline?" The Salvatore asked, surprised, "What are you doing with Klaus?"

The blonde ignored his question. "In order for the hallucinations to stop, Jeremy has to make his first vampire kill. He'll activate his hunter status and Elena will go back to normal."

"What?" He replied, "How do you know–"

"I just do. Now take care of it before she does something irreversible!" She demanded, ending the call with the push of a button.

Klaus hid his surprise well, but Caroline was certain that deep down he was just as shocked that she knew so much more than him. She handed him his phone back and he eyed her suspiciously.

"Well that's taken care of, now I need to go find Bonnie." She announced, unlocking the door to her car.

The Original took a hold of her arm. She glanced down at his hand, noticing his fingers wrapped around her tightly and huffed. "How do you know that will work?" He said inquisitively.

Caroline could give him so many explanations and make up a variety of answers but instead she simply told him the truth. "Because it worked before."

Klaus chuckled, "That's doesn't make any sense."

"I've heard that plenty of times already." She muttered. "Look, I really need to go find Bonnie."

The Original's hand was still fastened around her arm but he began to relatively ease his hold on her. "One drink?"

The blonde smiled, rolling her eyes but feeling flattered by his persistence to spend more time with her. His hand slid over her arm, creating a sense of urgency in her that made her heart leap in her chest. She felt like her insides were melting into a puddle of warm liquid as she saw the smile on his face and that distinct glimmer in his eyes.

She turned away, smirking. "Okay. _One_ drink. You seemed to have had your fill for the day already."

Klaus laughed. "I can handle more than this. Trust me, love." He replied in a sultry tone.

"I'll meet you at the Grill around 8?" She asked, causing him to perch his eyebrows. "I need time to go home and shower... and stuff."

"Five hours seems like a whole lot of of time to do just that. But fine, as you wish." He replied, this time granting her access to her car.

* * *

Caroline arrived at the Bennett home early in the evening, ringing the doorbell incessantly until her friend answered it.

"How's Elena doing?" The witch asked, as soon as she opened the door.

The blonde smiled, "She's fine, Bonnie. I'm here because I need your help with something else."

Her words peaked Bonnie's interest and they walked together inside the house, making themselves comfortable in the family room.

"What's going on?" She asked, eyeing the blonde's wardrobe. "And why are you dressed like you're going on a date?"

Caroline looked down at her silver top, the plunging neckline made the contours of her chest more prominent. "It's not a date." She crossed her legs, pulling down her black skirt to cover her upper thighs.

"Really? Because I'm a girl and I'm having a hard time not staring at your boobs." She wrinkled her nose, tilting her head in a teasing manner.

"Bonnie Bennett, stop being such a mom." She replied. "Now, I'm going to tell you something that's going to sound strange and unbelievable, but _please_, stick with me."

The witch nodded. "Okay..."

The locator spell. The magical forest. The wishing well. Caroline went through the whole shebang, until the witch was so enthralled by her story that her eyes were as wide as spheres and her mouth was in the shape of an _o_. Caroline's hands moved at a rapid pace, going through the events she had already relived and explaining to her that they had already had a similar conversation about this before. Bonnie bit down on her nail, pensively looking into the fire burning in the stone fireplace in front of them.

"If you told me that a time warp involves repeating the same day over and over until I come to a realization. Then why do I keep skipping from one day to another?" Caroline asked.

"First off, I can't believe that _this_ isn't really _real_." Bonnie began, "I mean, it feels real to me but if you're telling me that this day has already passed then..." She shook her head, unable to understand the concept.

Caroline puckered her lips. "I'm telling you, it's not your every day magic... voodoo... thing."

"Perhaps your time lapses have to do with a specific thing as opposed to a specific event." She suggested. "Or maybe it's not just one thing that you have to realize, but several that need to be addressed or maybe even _fixed_."

The blonde leaned back on the sofa, releasing a deep breath. "I have been doing things differently though, mainly out of curiosity, but don't you think it would've worked at least once?"

Bonnie narrowed her eyes, "I can try doing a reading."

A smile appeared on Caroline's face as she nodded with enthusiasm. The witch proceeded to set up dozens of candles, lighting them up without a problem and burning some kind of herb, whose smoke filled up the room in seconds. The aroma was that of incense and produced a calming effect that caused Caroline's mind to become clear and her body to relax.

"Hold my hands." Bonnie order, placing hers palm face up. Once the blonde held on to her, they closed their eyes and she began chanting in an unfamiliar dialect.

They engaged in this ritual for minutes on end, each time Bonnie's voice becoming louder and more powerful than before. Soon enough, the smoke in the room began to clear and the smell became faint, until it finally vanished. Caroline opened her eyes, looking around her and noticing her friend's bewildered expression.

"What did you see?" She asked.

Bonnie looked at her, concerned. "Darkness." She muttered, "And an overwhelming sense of loneliness."

"What does that mean?" Caroline replied.

The witch shook her head. "I don't know."

They sat in front of the fireplace, throwing ideas around and trying to figure out exactly why Caroline was having time lapses to days that seemed to have little to no correlation to the happiness she had wished for. The more and more they talked about it, the more and more convinced she became that perhaps, it would take her forever to stop it from happening and return to present-day. She glanced over at the clock, realizing it was almost 8 o'clock.

"I need to go." She announced, coming to her feet and running her hands over her top and skirt. "Thank you so much for your help. But you were right the first time, I have to figure this one out on my own."

Bonnie frowned, feeling like she had failed to assist her friend. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She smiled at her, trying to provide some sort of comfort.

Caroline grabbed her purse and gave her friend a hug. "Where are you going anyway?" Bonnie asked.

The blonde pursed her lips, a guilty look visible on her face. "That's for me to know and you to find out." She replied coyly.

Bonnie's eyes widened. "Wait, you're not going out with Tyler?"

Caroline shook her head.

* * *

"Closed?" Caroline uttered with irritation, staring at the sign taped on door.

The Grill was completely in darkness, no soul in sight. She looked out into the street, the fog had began to crawl in, making it seem like a real life ghost town. Klaus looked at her, twisting the corner of his mouth.

"There _was_ quite the explosion here last night." He said in a low voice.

Caroline turned to him, a chuckle escaping her lips. "Of course. Your hybrid." She said, "Wait. You already knew about this. Why didn't you say anything?"

Klaus looked at her, his eyes struggling to stay focused on her face. She looked more appealing than usual, her attire showcased her perfect curves and long milky legs. It was a miracle he was still walking upright and not trying to cover embarrassing evidence under his jeans.

"Would you have accepted my invitation otherwise?" He replied, quickly glancing at her chest and sneaking a peek at her cleavage.

Caroline placed her hands on her hips, pumping her chest up even more. His eyes roamed around, trying to look at anything else but what was in front of him. "We went to a different bar." She said to herself in a quiet, mousy tone.

The Original looked at her puzzled, "You want to go to different bar?"

The blonde sighed, "You have any other suggestions?"

Klaus gave her a coquettish smirk, "There is plenty to drink at my place."

She laughed, "Wow!"

"I can assure you, sweetheart, you won't find that kind of liquor anywhere else in the world." His dimples, his accent, the way he said everything so eloquently made his invitation more enticing.

Caroline gulped, giving him a fiery look that she didn't even know she was capable of. "I'm only coming over for a drink." She clarified, even though her eyes were saying something completely different.

"I promise I will be nothing but a gentleman to you." He assured her.

* * *

Caroline swished the fourth bottle of alcohol around, it was made of a thick dark green crystal that changed color when placed in front of a bright light. She watched the liquid go back and forth from front to back until it came back and reached her lips. The taste was exquisite and its strength was potent. She took a big swig before handing it to Klaus.

"The Queen? As in Elizabeth I?" The blonde shot him a skeptical glance.

Klaus laughed, unable to control his gaze from admiring her riveting figure. "That same one." He confirmed, drinking the rest of the alcohol in the bottle and watching as she twirled a strand of her hair around her finger.

Caroline giggled, plunging into the comfortable suede sofa next to him. "I don't even want to know what you did to get your hands on that." She teased, leaning her head back on the headrest.

Klaus' eyes trailed over the soft skin of her neck and down her chest. "Well I didn't use compulsion if that's what you're wondering." He replied flirtatiously, causing her to scoff.

She felt the warmth of the liquor invade her stomach, spreading across her like a heatwave. Klaus came to his feet and headed to the other side of the room at vampire speed. He took another bottle out of the cabinet. "This one," He began, "Is one of the best things you will ever taste."

Caroline bit down on her lip, her eyes traveling over his body as he opened it. She didn't know if it was the alcohol that was clouding her inhibitions and judgement but something told her that the liquor wasn't the best thing she _could_ taste. Her eyes widened at the thought, and she yelled at herself internally for even thinking such things about Klaus. Heat radiated from her cheeks as she blushed, imagining what he would say if he could read her mind.

The Original came back, sitting next to her again and tilting the bottle towards her nose. "Isn't that the most delicious scent?" He asked, telling himself that in fact it was her that smelled so delectable.

Caroline smirked, taking a whiff and closing her eyes. "Honestly, I'm horrible when it comes to this. " She admitted, "But I'm sure the taste won't lie."

The blonde brought her lips to the bottle, causing Klaus' breathing to hitch. She smiled, watching his Adam's apple bob up and down nervously. Out of the corner of her eye, everything was wobbly, and she knew that she was definitely not using all her senses. _To hell with it._ The thought invaded her mind, as she placed her hands over his, tilting the bottle of liquor into her mouth and parting her lips enough to allow the liquid passage. After she was done, she brought it back down, licking her lips.

"Mmmmm." She hummed.

The Original's heart was racing. His blood was pumping with urgency and a sudden tug at his jeans caused him to flinch. He cleared his throat, placing the bottle on the table. "I think we had enough to drink for tonight." He stated, coming to his feet. Caroline smiled proudly, watching him pace around like a lost puppy.

"Do you have any new projects you've been working on?" She asked innocently.

He turned to her, his eyes brightening at her inquiry. "There is one painting I finished about a week ago. Would you like to see it?"

The blonde nodded with excitement as she jumped to her feet. The room suddenly felt like something out of a carnival funhouse but she regained her composure and followed him as gracefully as possible. He offered her his hand as they reached the spiral staircase and she happily obliged.

Klaus opened the door to his bedroom and her eyes were instinctively drawn to his large bed. She let out a deep breath as they walked inside and she searched for his artwork. A vivid landscape of mountains and rivers hung from one of the bedroom walls. Caroline stared at it in awe, it looked almost like a photograph from afar.

"It's amazing." She said, her eyes captivated by the sight as she walked closer to it.

Klaus didn't say anything, he just looked at her and smiled. Caroline turned around, walking over to him. She could see he wasn't used to receiving compliments about his work–or anything else for that matter.

There were so many things she didn't know about him and yet she felt like she knew everything. He had done the most horrible things, and still she believed it was because all his life he'd been misunderstood and unwanted. It almost made her heart hurt with sadness. Everything he'd done to her friends, to Elena. _Elena_. Caroline thought about her friend, peaking her interest in a very relevant subject.

She looked at Klaus inquisitively as she closed the distance between them. The Original could feel his body responding to her advances. "Why do you need hybrids?" She uttered.

It was like a wave of frigid water had washed over him and his expression became stern. "Why are you asking me this?"

"Why your obsession with creating a hybrid army? Why do you insist on treating Elena like an object instead of a human being?"

Klaus became infuriated. "You should leave."

"No!" She countered, "I'm not going to leave, until you tell me why."

The Original stepped away from her, walking around to the opposite side of the bed. "Those hybrids are the closest thing I'll ever have to a real family." He replied dryly.

Caroline pressed her lips into a straight line, "So you basically want to _create_ friends and family instead of working on the relationships you already have." Her assertion struck a chord with him.

"You don't understand."

"What? I don't understand that you're lonely and that all you want is to be accepted and perhaps even loved?" Her words came out of her mouth without even thinking them through. It was almost like Caroline's subconscious was spitting them out on its own, surprising even the blonde herself. She placed her hands over her mouth.

"Are you here to plead with me? To convince me to leave Elena alone and abandon my plan to create more hybrids?" He roared.

He was angry, but even seeing him flare up like a raging flame, Caroline didn't fret. "You don't need them, Klaus." She said calmly. "No matter how many hybrids you make, they'll never be enough to fill that empty void."

An overwhelming silence filled the air and he looked at her not with anger but with glazed eyes. "Is this another one of your plans to change who I am? Did your friends set you up for this?" He asked with disappointment.

It was like his whole world had been turned upside down. Up until that point he was sure Caroline was starting to show interest in him, the fact that this could all be another one of her plans was bitterly disheartening.

"No. This isn't part of any plan or any set up." She assured him, walking over to him. "I'm here because I want to be."

"You really should leave." He replied, the anger back in his voice.

Caroline shook her head, "You're being childish."

"And you're being impertinent. You're in my home and I don't appreciate you coming here and telling me how I should live my–"

Caroline placed her hands around his neck, pulling his head towards her and crashing her lips into his. That fire she had felt earlier, blazed uncontrolled at the feel of his mouth on hers. She bit down on his lower lip, pulling and sucking eagerly until he was breathing hard. Her chest tightened and her heart raced as his hands roamed over her back, sliding down to the curve of her lower back.

She pulled away, both of them breathing heavily. "Do you still want me to leave?"

Klaus shook his head. "No." He muttered, and the blonde pushed him onto the bed in response.

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**I'm prepared for the criticism. Too soon? About time? Comment away! **


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you for waiting so patiently for updates! I don't do it as often as I'd like but at least I don't take months, right? :) Hope you guys like this chapter... a little familiar, a little different... **

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**Chapter 6: The Beginning**

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The Original pulled himself up further, positioning himself on the pillow and watching as Caroline bit down on her lip in a suggestive manner. His heart was beating at full tilt and he felt himself harden with burning anticipation.

She smiled, climbing onto the bed slowly, her top dragging below her and exposing even more of her already tempting curves. The weight of her body rested on top of him as she settled over his legs. Her mouth trailed over his jawline, slowly and gently, causing him to gasp in satisfaction before their lips met again. He kissed her with urgency, his fingers becoming entangled in her hair as he pressed his mouth into hers. Caroline's insides were on fire, and the heat between her legs had her aching for relief. She felt her center pulse with want as his hardness pressed against it, causing a moan to escape her lips.

Klaus' hands moved lower over her back, running over her bottom and down the exposed skin of her thighs. The feel of her body only made his hardness throb with more force. He brought his lips up to her neck and Caroline leaned in closer to him, feeling his hot, wet mouth come in contact with her ivory flesh. She gasped, feeling his tongue swirling over her neck and his lips nipping at her skin. He brushed them all along the curvatures of her chest, causing the fabric of her top and bra to move ever so slowly to the side. She could feel the heat of his mouth reaching the sensitive part of her breast and she bucked her hips in response. But before she had time to remove her clothing, Klaus flipped her over to the side, her body becoming trapped between him and the soft mattress.

Caroline's head rested on the cushioned pillow as Klaus continued to move his hips over her aching center. She closed her eyes shut, enjoying the feeling when suddenly the weight of his body became virtually nonexistent. She moaned, asking for more but getting nothing in return.

Another whimper left her mouth, but this one was different–it wasn't one of pleasure but that of agony. She opened her eyes, the pain was unbearable; it felt like scalding needles were being used to stab her neck, repeatedly. Her blood felt hot, boiling like lava in her veins as she felt her strength diminishing at a rapid pace.

The blonde looked around, aware that she was back in her bedroom–no sign of Klaus anywhere. The clock on her nightstand read _9:15_ and she noticed that her room was lightly illuminated by the lamp next to her bed. Outside, she could hear her mother talking with who she could only assume was Matt. She was covered in a cold sweat and her breathing was feeble. She brought her icy fingers up to her collarbone, feeling the open, festering wound. The blood on her fingertips glistened under the dim light and her breathing became rampant, as exasperation took over her.

There was a knock at the front door and Caroline widened her eyes, listening closely to every word that was spoken. She could hear Matt blatantly accusing Klaus of having caused this whole ordeal. The Original, being ever so cunning, dodged the accusations. Caroline was now breathing a little more calmly. She took the back of her hand and with it, wiped the excess sweat that had accumulated on her forehead.

She heard her mother's passive words. "Come in." Klaus' footsteps were like weights hitting the tiles that lined the floor. The blonde didn't know if it was the effects of the venom but she felt her heart beating even more rapidly at the sound of his approaching steps.

Caroline's eyelashes fluttered with every rapid blink as she waited for him to make an appearance at her door. She heard her mother and Matt retire to the living room, as if granting Klaus some sort of privacy with her. Caroline scoffed quietly, _what if he had really been here to kill me_, she thought. The Original appeared at the bedroom entrance, dressed all in black with a white buttoned shirt underneath his jacket. He stared at her like he was looking at a dying animal. If she'd had the strength, she would have probably laughed. Just a few minutes ago, they'd been basking in each other's bodies, doing things she would've never dreamed of doing with the Original. Now, it was as if he was looking at her for the first time. His gaze was a mixture of menace and pity. Caroline didn't know how to go about the situation. Would she be better off repeating everything word for word? She gulped, curling herself up into the fetal position as she watched him approach her bedside. His dark pools of blue looked down at her and his arms remained to his side as he caught sight of the tinge of blood that remained visible from under the sheets.

"Are you here to kill me?" She asked, not frightened but with an air of defiance.

A ghost of a smile formed on Klaus' lips as if impressed by her fearlessness. "On your birthday? Do you really think that low of me?" He asked.

Caroline remained silent. _No_. _Not anymore_. The pain continued to spread and with it an unbearable heat that seemed to be consuming her body from the inside out. The slightest movement drained her of strength.

"Why?" She muttered.

The Klaus she knew now would tell her the truth. He wouldn't try to hide his crime and act like the hero of the story, knowing he was anything but.

His eyes narrowed, contemplating her simple question. "You were nothing more than collateral damage, love. It's nothing personal." He admitted, taking the liberty to sit on her bed.

Klaus pulled the blanket below her collarbone, as a shiver ran down Caroline's spine. She noticed his eyes widen in response to her injury. The wound had grown in size, bubbling like water in a scorching pan.

"That looks bad." He lamented, noticing her downcast eyes.

The blonde barely moved as his eyes swept over her face and lingered over the side of her head, where her hand rested. He extended his arm, running his fingers over the silver charm bracelet Tyler had given her that day.

"I love birthdays." His words were sincere and a quick smile surfaced on his face before it got devoured once again by the brooding look in his eyes.

"Aren't you tired of celebrating yet? You've had how many now?" She grunted.

Klaus seemed pleased by her response, admiring her confidence even in her time of dying. "You have to adjust your perception of time when you become a vampire, Caroline. Celebrate the–"

"Fact that I'm no longer bound by trivial human conventions." She interrupted. "I'm free."

An expression of shock appeared on the Original's face as she finished his thoughts and spoke them out loud. "You do realize I'm in my death bed." She said, feeling the sweat building up on her forehead once again.

"Do you want to die?" He asked, knowing very well the answer to that question. "Because I can let you, if that's what you want."

The blonde pursed her lips. "Someone once told me, that there's a whole world out there waiting for me." Caroline began, "Great cities–" She stopped, trying to see if the Original had any reaction to what she was saying. She could see a hint of confusion in his eyes as his eyebrows gently furrowed. "Art and music. Genuine beauty."

Klaus' eyes roamed her face. "And you can have all of that and so much more." He replied.

"The thing is, I truly believe my existence has meaning." She gazed into his eyes, "Just like I believe yours does as well."

Klaus lifted his head, unable to make sense of why she was acting this way. He barely knew this girl and somehow she seemed to take liberties others would never even dream of taking. There was something about her that intrigued him; a kind of strength that radiated from her even in her weakest moments.

"Why are you telling me this?"

Caroline tried to push herself up on the bed and prop herself on her elbows. "Because no one should ever feel so lonely to the point of believing there's no reason left to live. No matter how many times over the centuries you've doubted your existence, there's always hope."

Klaus lifted an eyebrow, releasing a huff. "Who are you, really?" He asked, fascinated by the blonde.

"I'm what's known as collateral damage. Am I not?" She replied with a slight cough.

After so many years of always being one step ahead of everybody else, he found himself being genuinely surprised by her reply. He was speechless, staring at her in disbelief.

"I don't want to die, Klaus." Caroline continued, "Are you going to let me?"

The Original quickly reached over to her, carefully taking her in his arms and propping her up against his chest. Caroline could smell his cologne, the warmth of his body transporting her back to just a few minutes ago when everything was bliss and exhilaration.

She watched him pull his sleeve up, exposing his wrist as he brought it up to her lips. "There you go, sweetheart. Have at it."

His words were the only invitation she needed to pierce his skin with her fangs. His blood spilled into her mouth like warm, sweet honey. The taste was unlike any other, and she couldn't believe she hadn't found it irresistible the first time her tongue had come in contact with it. Her pain quickly faded away, allowing her to fully revel in the taste.

Klaus ran his hand through her hair, causing her to hum against his skin and bite into him with more force. She could hear his heart beating in his chest, sputtering rampantly as she continued to feed off of him. A moan escaped his throat, making Caroline feel like they were experiencing a whole new level of intimacy. When she finally stopped, she licked the remnants off his skin, watching as his wrist instantly began to heal.

She glanced up at him, his eyes were dark and blazing with obscure thoughts. A feeling of ecstasy filled her being as she ran her tongue over her lips, savoring the last traces of blood. They were both silent, unable to explain what they had felt in that moment. The wound on her neck was slowly closing up. Klaus came to his feet, walking around the room until he found a box of tissues. He returned to her side, moving her blonde locks away as he wiped off what remained of her injury.

"Thank you." Caroline said as her heart continued to pound with force in her chest.

Klaus smirked, tilting his head to take a good look at her now-healed neck. "My pleasure." He replied, his words expressing a whole other meaning.

The blonde gulped, feeling a sudden urge to throw him on her bed and finish off what they had started. She began to breathe a little faster, thinking of all the things they could have done if their time hadn't been cut short.

"I need to change into dry clothes." She said coyly, taking her covers off.

Klaus looked at her svelte body, draped only in shorts and a tank top. "I should go." He said quietly, once again coming to his feet.

Caroline's eyes shifted towards the door, as Matt's towering figure appeared in front of it. "Everything okay in here?" He asked bravely.

The blonde smiled, "Everything's fine."

"You caused damage. You played the hero. I think you're done here." He directed his bitter words towards Klaus.

The Original responded with a devious smirk. "You're lucky I'm in a good mood."

Caroline rolled her eyes, reprimanding Matt for standing up to him as if he had a chance of surviving any of his attacks.

"I'll get the door for you." He said dryly, disappearing from sight.

Klaus turned to the blonde, a smile creeping on his face. "Happy Birthday, Caroline." His words were dripping with seduction as he stared intently into her eyes.

Caroline gave him an appreciative look before he left the room.

* * *

She lied in bed, glancing over at the clock every five minutes. It was getting close to midnight and she knew that soon enough she'd be taken into yet another day in her past. There was still something that was bothering her; Klaus had never told her what made him save her life that day. The idea that he hadn't killed her because it was her birthday made her roll around in her bed with laughter.

Without thinking it twice she slipped into a pair of jeans and not bothering to put another shirt on, pulled a sweater over her head. Her mother was now sleeping and Matt had gone home soon after Klaus. Her movements were stealth as she headed towards the door. But before she had a chance to open it, the handle began moving slowly, revealing the dark figure behind it. Caroline's mouth gaped open, ready to released a shrilling scream when a large hand came over it. She recognized his scent, immediately relaxing into his body.

"Shhhh." He whispered into her ear before letting go.

Caroline quickly shut the door behind them, coming to face him once again. "What are you doing here?"

Klaus let out a deep breath, opening up his jacket and pulling out a long black velvet box. The blonde smiled, recognizing the gift. "Of course, how did I forget." She muttered.

"What do you mean?" He asked bewildered.

"Nothing." She said quietly.

"What are you doing up? You're supposed to be sleeping." He replied, keeping his voice down.

Caroline smiled, "I was going to look for you." She admitted.

Klaus gave her a puzzled look, handing her the velvet box. "I supposed you were going to see this eventually." Caroline took it in her hands, holding it against her chest like her most cherished possession.

"Thank you." The blonde couldn't help chuckling at their bizarre encounter.

He gave her a sexy smirk before inquiring further. "You said you were coming to look for me..."

She nodded. "I wanted to know why you saved me tonight." She took a few steps towards the bed, gently sitting on top of it as she waited for his reply. "Why not just let me die? Wouldn't the others have taken your threats more seriously if you had?"

The Original took a seat next to her, the weight of his body causing her to drift towards him. "I needed people on my side." He confessed, "Your mother is the Sheriff of this town, after all."

There was a sadness that took over Caroline's face. This wasn't the answer she wanted to hear. Not now. There was nothing romantic or poetic about it; it was almost insulting. She twirled the velvet box in her hands, unable to form a response. Luckily, she didn't have to think for long because Klaus' explanation wasn't over.

"But that was before I came into this room." His words caused her eyes to snap up. "There's something special about you, Caroline. I knew that if I'd let you die, I'd regret it instantly."

She beamed, "What is it about me?"

"I don't know yet. But I do know that you're as beautiful and radiant as what you're now holding in your hands." There was nothing but honesty in his words and in his eyes. Caroline couldn't do anything else but smile. "Now, why don't you get some rest?"

She placed the box on her nightstand, taking off the sweater she had just put on and jumping off the bed. Klaus knew she wasn't going to slip into bed wearing jeans and he smirked, nodding at her. He took a few steps towards the door before feeling Caroline's hand grasp his arm.

"Don't leave." She pleaded, producing a sense of uncertainty in him. He turned around, giving her a dubious look.

"Why are you being so trusting of me?" His voice was chastising, like he was angry that she was being nice to him.

Caroline unbuttoned her jeans, making a twirling motion for him to turn around. The Original did as she asked and the blonde pulled down her jeans, quickly replacing them with a pair of pajama shorts.

"Because I know you more than you think I do." She replied, climbing back into bed.

He raised an eyebrow. "I really doubt that, sweetheart."

She glanced at the clock, noticing she only had a few more minutes left. "Oh, you have no idea." She stared at him, calling him over with her eyes.

Klaus sat next to her, leaning against the bed's headboard as she curled up next to him. "You're not acting like someone who hates me." He noted.

"That's because I don't." She said in a quiet voice, closing her eyes as she breathed in his scent.

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**Thank you so much reading! Please take a few seconds to leave me a review! I'd appreciate it :) xoxo **


	7. Chapter 7

**Hiiii! I'm here, bringing you another update once again. Thank you so much for your sweet, funny, and adorable comments! You guys are the best and I don't think you know how much I love you for taking the time to post your thoughts! **

**Hope you like this chapter :)**

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**Chapter 7: Change of Plans**

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"So are you going to help us or not?" Damon sounded irritated on the other end.

Caroline stood there, fazed by what was happening. She looked around, noticing she was in Elena's home not her own. Behind the door she could hear Bonnie and Elena talking. The smell of something she could only describe as an 'earthy spice' penetrated the crevices of the door, circling around her nose like a ghostly veil.

"What?" She replied, without a remote clue of what was being asked of her. She looked down at her clothes, she was wrapped in a form-fitting black dress and black coat. Her hair was curled to perfection and she smelled of her favorite perfume.

"Did you not hear a single word I just said?" He raised his voice, agitated by her lack of attention.

"I'm sorry Damon but I have a lot on my mind right now, ok? So if you want me to help you, you're going to have to tell me again." The creases on her forehead deepened as she looked down at the floor, worried.

Damon huffed impatiently, "We need you to go to the Grill and distract Klaus, while we go in and dagger Kol. You had already agreed to this earlier!"

Caroline gasped, realizing it was now the day after the Mikaelson's Ball. She shook her head incessantly as if trying to reorganize her thoughts. Keeping track of everything at different times was making her lose her mind.

"Alaric told us they were still there."

The blonde's eyes widened, this was getting to be too much for her to handle. Alaric was no longer with them, how was she supposed to face him and act like nothing had happened. She shook her head, "I can't Damon. I can't see Alaric."

"What are you talking about? You see him every day." He spat back.

Caroline wanted to scream the truth off the top of her lungs. "Look, if you want me to help, then find a way to get Alaric out of there." There was a silence between them as an eerie feeling took over her. She was willing to put up with repeats of anything but seeing her dead teacher was out of the question.

"Fine. But be there in the next 30 minutes." He relented, hanging up before she had time to say anything else.

Caroline maintained a tight grip on her phone, closing her eyes for a second to go through all the events of that day. Her mind ordered things one way while her heart reacted in a completely different way, especially when she thought about Klaus. She was starting to get reality and _reality_ mixed and it was messing with her head.

The blonde took a deep breath and opened the bedroom door in front of her. Bonnie was waving a smoking bundle of sage around, sitting on Elena's bed with three lit candles resting on a silver platter. Elena was talking about the eldest Salvatore and his latest tryst with Rebekah. They shot the blonde a worried look before asking what was wrong. Caroline looked at the ground, unable to form a coherent response. Up until this point she had been able to hold everything perfectly together.

"Care..." Bonnie muttered.

She quickly regained her train of thought, "The spell's not working. I heard everything you said about Damon sleeping with the she-devil."

Elena looked away and the blonde knew her internal conflict was probably very similar to what she was now going through. Never in a million years would she have imagined that she'd be able to relate to Elena in this way. The thought of seeing her and Bonnie's reaction if they found out about her and Klaus made her shiver. The girls raised their eyebrows at her, Elena motioning for her to go back outside.

She nodded, before heading out to the hall and closing the door. The privacy spell failed to work yet again, Caroline listened as Bonnie told Elena about Esther's visit and her plan to channel the Bennet bloodline for power. She paid close attention to the conversation.

Elena's voice was bathed in guilt. "Before the sun and moon ritual, Elijah found a way to keep me alive, and now I'm in the exact same position. And I'm just gonna let him die? It just doesn't feel right." The brunette lamented behind closed doors.

_It's not right_, Caroline thought, leaning back against the cold wall and hitting her head against it as she looked up at the ceiling. Feelings of remorse for what she had done that day took over her. She had lured Klaus out of the Grill, feeling so proud of herself for playing her game right, only to have him find out it was all a setup. Her stomach churned, feeling disgusted with herself. Elena was right to feel guilty about betraying Elijah; he had saved her life just like Klaus had saved hers. Granted, both their circumstances were polar opposites.

"There's no time to change your mind, Elena. He'll be dead by the end of the night." Bonnie replied, and a look of horror took over the blonde's face.

She opened the door again, and the girls looked up at her. Elena's face displayed worry while Bonnie's reflected calmness. Caroline stared at them with wide eyes, "Elena's right."

The witch gave her a disapproving look, "No. She isn't." She said between gritted teeth.

"Elijah saved your life, Elena." She paused, glancing at Bonnie for a quick second. "And Klaus saved mine."

Elena's expression changed radically. "You're joking."

"No. Why is one Original worthy of saving while the other isn't?" She countered, knowing that their answer to this question was more than obvious.

"Elijah is not like Klaus, Caroline. He's... moral." Elena replied.

"Not to mention, the reason you were dying in the first place was because Klaus put Tyler up to it." Bonnie agreed. "If any Original deserves to die, it's Klaus."

Caroline huffed, feeling her phone vibrate in her coat's pocket. She pulled it out, reading the message on the screen. _Where the hell are you?_ Damon was already at the Grill, having changed the plans to be there with Meredith, instead of Alaric.

"I have to go distract the _Original that deserves to die_." Caroline replied mockingly.

The girls looked at her puzzled, taken aback by her sudden change of heart when it came to Klaus.

"Why do you care so much about him? You never have before." Bonnie remarked.

"You'll find out eventually." She replied, rolling her eyes as she left the room.

* * *

The blonde entered the Grill, eyeing Klaus and Kol as soon as she walked inside. They were standing in front of the bar, downing drink after drink like there was no tomorrow. There was so much chatter around that Caroline found it difficult to focus on what they were saying. She looked around, catching a glimpse of Damon and Meredith by the pool table. As if by instinct, the Salvatore brother looked up, giving her a nod to let her know she should proceed.

Caroline raised an eyebrow and scowled. She walked smoothly and with grace, opening her coat to expose her cleavage and swaying her hips as she approached the Original brothers. This time, she didn't bother pretending not to see them. Kol spotted her first, leering at her like the dangerous predator he was. His voice sounded like a distant echo in Caroline's ears, as he mentioned to Klaus that he remembered her from the night before.

"She looks like a tasty little thing." He said in a perverse tone and she rolled her eyes at his suggestive statement.

Her gaze remained on the older Original, his body turned towards her as his eyes widened in pleasant surprise. She, on the other hand, couldn't help acknowledging his good looks. Caroline would have given anything to know what he was thinking. The 5 o'clock shadow on his face, under the dim lights of the bar, made him look that much more mysterious and handsome. She sensed a slight thump in her chest, feeling as if he somehow had heard her think that out loud.

The reply Klaus gave his little brother was anything but light. "Say another word and I'll tear out your liver."

Klaus kept his eyes locked on her as Caroline smiled at him coquettishly. He returned the gesture, those sweet, angelic dimples surfacing on his face. She stopped in front of them, fixing her hair as if the walk there had caused it to get out of place.

"Caroline." He said with a hint of amazement. "I wasn't expecting to see you here, love."

The sound of that word, made her feel warm inside. "Well, this town isn't really known for its entertainment factor." She replied.

"Yeah, this is definitely not what I had in mind when I said I needed entertainment." Kol chimed in, giving her a playful smirk. "But now that you're here–"

Klaus turned to him, his eyes ordering him to back off the blonde. He smiled in response, almost enjoying getting on his brother's nerves. Klaus turned back to her with a smile.

"Join us for a drink?"

Caroline bit down on her lip, considering his offer. Kol raised his glass to her, tilting his head in an inviting manner. "Only if Kol promises to stop being so... creepy." She glowered at the younger Mikaelson.

"It's not my fault, I can't help admiring beautiful women." Kol replied.

Klaus huffed under his breath, "Would you like to have a drink with _me_?" He corrected himself.

Caroline felt an inner conflict building up. She knew why she was there and what Damon and Meredith would do as soon as she lured Klaus away. Her eyes wandered pensively, glancing at Kol who was still giving her flirty looks. She shook her head in annoyance, coming between the brothers and closing the distance between her and Klaus. Behind him, she could see Damon still hanging around by the pool tables. He was shooting her daggers with his eyes, prompting her to hurry up.

Caroline looked directly at Klaus, his scent was intoxicating, causing her to drift even closer to him. She placed her hands around his neck, feeling him tense up in response. "Come with me." Her plea was a delicate purr. "But your brother needs to leave as soon as possible." She said in a tiny whisper.

Klaus looked at her suspiciously but nodded in agreement. He directed his attention to his brother, asking him to go home. The younger Mikaelson wasn't one to take orders, he was defiant and reluctant to leave. It took some serious persuasion from Klaus' part but eventually he set his drink down and walked away. Caroline and Klaus quickly followed, watching as he disappeared into the night until the blonde was certain he had dodged the bullet – or in this case, the dagger.

"What was that all about?" He asked, walking side by side with her as they crossed the street into the Square.

Caroline's phone began buzzing incessantly in her pocket. "Klaus." She began, "Do you trust me?"

The question took the Original by surprise but he was honest, "I don't know."

She frowned, "I suspected as much."

"Is there something I should know, love?"

Caroline ignored his question and pulled her cellphone out of her pocket. Damon had already called her more than once. After it rang for a third time she brought it up to her ear.

"Hello?" She gave Klaus a worried look.

"Do you realize you just ruined our whole plan? What is the matter with you?" The Salvatore was practically screaming into the phone.

"I couldn't do it, Damon." She admitted.

She heard the sound of a door slamming in the background. "We're doing this with or without you."

The line went dead as Caroline took a seat on the bench, she knew she only had a few minutes with Klaus before he figured out what was happening. She looked at the time on her phone, a new day wouldn't start for a few more hours. The Original looked down at her with a stern expression plastered on his face. He was suspicious and for very good reasons.

"You couldn't do what?" He hissed.

Caroline looked at him with sad puppy eyes. She closed them and swallowed hard, realizing she was going to have to tell him everything. There was no point in hiding it now, her cover had already been blown. _So much for our talk_, she thought, remembering the chat they'd had on the bench that night. There was a sense of melancholia at the realization that she wouldn't be reliving those moments with him.

"Damon and Stefan were planning on daggering Kol tonight." She confessed, watching as Klaus' eyes filled with anger.

He remained still. "You're trying to play me for a fool!"

She stood up swiftly, taking a hold of his wrist. "I'm worried about you!"

Klaus' eyes narrowed, "So you're telling me you came here tonight to tell me the truth?" He laughed mockingly, "Don't lie to me, Caroline. You came here to distract me, so my brother could get put down like a sick dog."

Caroline found his words ironic, considering he was the one who had daggered Kol in the first place. "I'm telling you the truth."

Klaus turned to her, his eyes conveying something she wish she'd never see again. "What are they planning to do?" He grabbed her by the arms, tightening his grip. "Tell me!" He growled, his eyes turning from a sapphire to gold.

Caroline gulped. "You and your siblings are linked. If one of you dies, you all die."

The Original was enraged. "How?"

The blonde looked at him with pleading eyes, "Let go of me." She ordered.

He huffed in anger, slowly releasing his grip. "How?" He repeated.

"Esther." She replied, "She bound you and your siblings together last night at the Ball, during the champagne toast."

"My mother thinks she's so clever, trying to kill five birds with one stone." He growled, "What else do you know?"

Caroline knew it was time to tell the whole truth. She played with the ring on her finger, shifting her eyes from the ground to him and then up at the dark sky.

"You created our bloodline," She blurted out. "You can't die because if you do, then we all die with you." She paused, allowing him to take in the news.

"If you know this, then why are you trying to kill us?" He was stunned and confused.

"I'm the only one that knows. You're just going to have to trust me on this."

The coldness of the night fell upon them, as they both remained still. Klaus was trying to believe her but after what she had done, it was hard for him to trust her. His eyes suddenly widened and he flinched, bringing his hand up to his chest as a quick, sharp pain struck his heart. He looked at the blonde, waiting for her to give him an explanation for what was happening.

"They must have gotten to Kol." She muttered, "You have to find him, before it's too late. Esther is about to perform the ritual at the old Bennett witch house."

Klaus shot her one last glance and without saying another word, disappeared from sight. She wrap herself in her coat, an overwhelming sense of distress and disappointment clouding her thoughts.

* * *

Caroline must have sat at the bench for hours, alone and in the cold, as she waited for something to happen. The blonde somehow believed that by trying to help the Originals, she had actually, inadvertently, doomed everyone. She expected to begin feeling weak, to start coughing up blood and become short of breath before expiring. But the minutes passed and none of that happened. Her fingers ran over the cold edges of her phone and she pressed down on the screen until it lit up. There were dozens of missed calls, most of them from Stefan but the most recent ones from Elena and Bonnie. She looked at the time, noticing this would all be over soon.

"You're still here." His accent-infused voice was a melodic tune that brightened the darkness currently enveloping her soul.

Caroline turned around, unable to conceal her feelings of elation. "Klaus!"

She came to her feet, wanting nothing else but to wrap her arms around him. Her body, however, didn't follow through. The Original looked at her, his sullen expression was now that of relief. Caroline smiled at him, and after a few minutes, he relented the smallest of smirks that somehow still managed to make her heart leap.

"You were right." He said, taking a few steps closer to her.

She looked at him, beaming with delight. "It all worked out?"

He nodded, pursing his lips. "You only did it to save yourself and your friends. Didn't you?"

Caroline shook her head, denying his assumption. "How could I possibly want you dead after _everything_?" She said gently.

Klaus was confounded, "_Everything_?"

She nodded, knowing time was once again running out. "I–" She paused, arming herself with courage, "I didn't want to lose you."

His eyes glazed over, touched by her words. He was now standing only inches from her, capable of feeling the warmth radiating from her body. He looked down at her mouth, the street lights made her flush lips glisten like a tempting red apple, begging to be devoured.

"How is that possible?" He mutter, leaning down, hopelessly surrendering to her alluring pull.

Caroline closed her eyes, waiting for him to press his lips against hers. "How is any of this possible?" She hummed.

She felt his warm breath caress her lips and then only the gentle graze of his soft lips before a chill breeze hit her face and an incandescent brightness appeared behind her eyelids. Caroline knew it was over.

"Where would you like me to put this?" A deep, male voice shattered the moment.

The blonde opened her eyes, looking down at the green pasture underneath her feet. The young man in front of her was holding the Miss Mystic Fall crown atop an elegant cushion.

"Right over there." She said mechanically, pointing to one of the tables.

The string quartet was playing a somber melody and all the guests had already arrived. They were all seated at their tables, enjoying glasses of champagne and chattering amongst themselves. She looked away, wondering when she would get used to switching from one day to another in the blink of an eye. An annoyed huff escaped her mouth at the fact that she didn't even get to enjoy that imminent kiss.

A waiter walked by her and she stopped him dead on his tracks, pointing to the empty glasses on the tables and asking him to do his job properly. She shook her head, annoyed by her own perfectionist behavior.

"And how am I doing?" His voice alone made her stomach twirl with excitement.

Caroline turned around, eyeing Klaus as his proximity to her increased. His hands were behind his back and a deliciously irresistible smirk lit up his face. _And just like that, things are starting to look up_, the blonde thought, delighted by the Original's presence.

* * *

**You guys are probably thinking that I should've titled my story "Cockblocked" huh? I promise things will be changing... for the better ;) Please be sweethearts and leave me a quick review! I'd appreciate it! xoxo**


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank God for fanfiction, right? That's all I'm gonna say about last week's (4x16) episode. **

**Hope you guys like what I have for you this time ;) Enjoy & happy reading!**

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**Chapter 8: The Date**

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His black suit fit him like a glove. The color of his tie curiously matched her dress, which was amusing and at the same time a bit odd. The pools of blue in his eyes reflected the light of the late afternoon sun and provided her with as much warmth as the celestial body itself. Caroline blinked a couple times trying to act as composed and normal as possible. Changing from one day to another was like creating a whole new personality – she couldn't act the same without coming across as insane. However, her reaction and the way her heart palpitated in his presence assured her nothing had really changed within her.

"You're perfect." She said without any hesitation.

Klaus' charming smile was becoming infectious and in that moment she could've sworn she saw him look away sheepishly. She beamed, pleased by causing that response in him. The Original looked out into the distance, his smile fading away as his eyes caught sight of something unprecedented.

"They didn't waste any time, did they?" He said bitterly.

Caroline took a deep breath, knowing exactly what she was about to see. She stood by Klaus, both watching as Hayley and Tyler walked hand in hand across the tiny bridge into the reception area. She pursed her lips. Everything had been so clear – Tyler always had that extra connection with the werewolf that he'd never have with her. She watched them for a minute, noticing how happy they seemed together. Deep down she could still feel a bit of nostalgia.

The blonde turned to the Original with a single perched eyebrow, "So what does the infamous Klaus Mikaelson do on a date?" She asked, making it clear she had no plans in discussing the young hybrid and his werewolf friend.

He narrowed his eyes almost in a perverse manner that caused her body to tingle and her stomach to turn. "I do many things but considering who my date is today, this day will go very differently." He assured her, licking his upper lip.

"Is that so?" She said coyly, shifting her eyes to his tie. "What makes this so different?"

Klaus puckered up his lips, thinking up a concise answer. "You're one of a kind."

Caroline shook her head, a smile plastered on her face. Something within her made it hard for her to believe he really felt that way about her. She took the liberty to place her hand on his chest, running her fingers over the silky fabric of his tie. "How did you know what color to wear?" She asked, looking down at her dress.

Klaus' blood pressure rose as he eyed her hand on him, but she pulled it away as soon as he began to speak. "Coincidence?" He smirked.

Caroline chuckled, "Yeah. Right."

The Original rolled his eyes, a barely audible laugh escaping his lips. He proceeded to offer her his arm, determined to treat her like the queen he knew she was. Her hand slipped right through, taking a hold of him.

They strolled along the grassy terrain that adorned the Lockwood's backyard. When they reached higher ground, she looked over at everyone enjoying the festivities. Her gaze caught sight of Elena and Damon and she pursed her lips remembering the not-so-subtle confrontation she'd had with her over their relationship. The blonde looked away, deciding it wasn't worth a minute of her time today.

"Are you okay?" Klaus asked, looking into her eyes with sincere concern.

She nodded, "Never better." The corners of her mouth formed an eloquent smile.

"I know this isn't an ideal situation, love. But you really left me no choice." He said in a grave tone, his eyes wandering over the crowd. "You would've never accepted my invitation otherwise."

Caroline knew that technically he was right. At the time, it took some bartering on his part, in order for her to agree to a date. The blonde was convinced things were different now – she would've jumped at the opportunity in a heartbeat, given the chance. However, she had to do her best to react in a way her past self would have.

"I can't say I disagree. But we're here aren't we? Together." She paused, that last word ringing in her ears like a bell. She cleared her throat. "Isn't this what you wanted?"

The Original smirked. "Very much so."

They continued walking towards the mansion. It's grandeur was astounding and the gorgeous lake in the distance provided the perfect background for the occasion.

Carol Lockwood stepped out the front door, holding a glass of champagne in her hand. "Caroline!" She sounded a bit agitated. "Are you ready to announce this year's contestants?"

The blonde smiled, looking at Klaus as if asking for his approval. "Of course!" She replied with enthusiasm.

Carol shot a glance at Klaus, her brow visibly crinkling when she realized they were there together. Caroline felt a bit uncomfortable – she was at her former boyfriend's home with another man, after all. Following a series of awkward pauses and gestures, all three finally made their way back down to the party area.

The girls were all ready at the top of the stone stairs, waiting for their names to be called. Elena smiled at Caroline from one of the tables, the happiness evident in her eyes. The blonde waved passively, relinquishing a glowing grin.

As she stood in front of the microphone, all she could think about was how this day would turn out. She introduced the contestants like she was on autopilot. Her mouth moved and the words came out but her mind was otherwise preoccupied. She glanced at Klaus, his posture and expression gave an air of pride that made her chest burst with joy. Caroline was surprised by how little attention she'd paid to him before. The way he looked at her was incomparable and made the blonde feel like she was a rare spectacle. The sound of the crowd's claps alerted her that her first duty was now over.

Klaus met her halfway as she made her way to him. He held a couple glasses on one hand and a bottle of champagne on the other.

"You're an excellent speaker, perfectly fit to be a leader." He smiled.

"I can barely make my own decisions, much less guide people to make theirs." She replied, shaking her head.

He laughed, walking along with her. "You have no idea how influential you could be. Don't you ever wonder what you could do if you had that power? That control?"

Caroline rolled her eyes. "I definitely wouldn't do the same things you would."

Klaus looked at her, tilting his head in a teasing manner. "I'm not all bad, sweetheart."

Caroline smiled, unconvinced, as they walked alongside the clear blue waters of the lake. The trees overhead provided them with shade from the already descending sun. She gave him an accusing look, her eyes portraying a mixture of seriousness and playfulness that kept the Original guessing.

"Why do you insist on trying to make me–" She paused, trying not to sound presumptuous, "More than I am. I'm not royalty." She huffed.

"No, but you can be." He answered, waiting for her to sit on the bench first.

The idea intrigued her, her inner Queen Bee was jumping with joy, clapping and dancing at the possibility. But at the same time, Caroline knew that all the money and the riches in the world would eventually be meaningless to her. Even the most expensive jewels would lose their spark, if that's all she really had to make her happy.

"What happens if I don't want to be a vampire anymore?" Her question was hypothetical, considering she was happy being an immortal.

Klaus perched his brow, "Why wouldn't you want to be vampire?"

The blonde pursed her lips, watching him unwrap the foil from the mouth of the champagne bottle. "Would you ever take the cure?"

Klaus' hands halted for a second, before the cork went flying up in the air, releasing the bottle's pressure. "Now, why would I want to cure myself from being the most powerful creature on the planet?"

Caroline held in a laugh; she had been so tempted to finish his sentence for him. It wouldn't have been the first time.

Klaus poured them each a glass of champagne as she looked out into the calm waters of the lake. She remembered the hummingbird story he had told her that day, and the look of complete honesty in his eyes when he told it. It was ironic that something so fragile and harmless had made _the most_ _powerful creature on the planet_, as he called himself, question his eternal existence.

The glass of bubbly liquid obstructed her view as the Original handed her the drink. She took a sip, feeling it fizzle against her lips.

"So does this mean you would take it?" He asked, referring to her earlier comment.

Caroline shook her head, refuting his assumption. "You have no idea how different I was as a human." She replied.

"I think I might have a pretty good idea." He said with a devilish smirk.

She rolled her eyes, "No. I was terrible. Being a vampire helped me grown up and mature. I'm a better person because of it and I wouldn't want to give that up."

"The girl who would do practically anything for her friends, was a terrible person?" He asked in disbelief but also in a teasing manner.

The blonde giggled, "You wouldn't have liked me. At all."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

Caroline gasped, "Trust me. The only good thing about being human was being oblivious to all this supernatural stuff."

He took a sip of his champagne and set the glass on the bench as he came to his feet. "Ah yes, things were a lot simpler back then." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a folded piece of paper.

"No! Don't!" She said, coming to her feet, the glass of champagne still in her hand.

Klaus' eyes widened, hiding the piece of paper behind his back. "No what, love?"

"I know what that is!" The blonde admitted, trying to get around him to grab the Miss Mystic Falls application.

Klaus moved the paper around in the air, causing her to chase it like a kitten trying to catch a toy. He laughed, completely overwhelmed by her playfulness. She reached as high as she could, her glass tipping to the side and spilling cold champagne on his shirt.

Her face was that of panic. "I'm so sorry!" She covered her mouth with her hand and set the glass down.

"It's fine." He replied, looking down at the wet stain on his power blue shirt.

"No, it's not. I just ruined your shirt." She lamented, unable to find anything to clean it with.

The Original was being more than understanding. "It'll dry."

"I have an idea, come!" She ordered, inadvertently taking a hold of his hand and guiding him back to the mansion.

* * *

They entered the vast, busy hallway of the Lockwood home, making their way down empty rooms until they reached one of the restrooms.

Caroline grabbed a small white towel from one of the cabinets and proceeded to pat down his shirt. Klaus was amused by her continued interest to fix her error. She was frazzled, pressing the cloth against his shirt as he looked on adoringly.

"What?" She asked, when she finally noticed the big smile on his face.

"It's just a shirt, love." He said quietly under his breath, not at all bothered by it.

Caroline's hand stopped moving, as her eyes became fixated on his. That sudden electricity that radiated from him was once again becoming overpowering. She put the towel down, blushing as she realized she'd had her hands on his chest the whole time.

"Thank you." He said in a tone filled with longing, taking the liberty to caress her cheek with the back of his hand.

Caroline gravitated towards him, her mind filling up with memories of their most recent encounter. She could feel her heart pumping faster and her blood running at an accelerated speed through her body. His eyes hadn't moved from hers. It was a feeling of complete and utter connection that made her feel like she was floating in air.

His flush lips had never looked so appetizing. The blonde felt her mouth begin to water, just thinking of the taste. It felt like an eternity since she'd last enjoyed them. Klaus once again brought his hand up to her face, this time cupping her cheek as he leaned in closer. Caroline closed her eyes, waiting for him to make the first move. Klaus' nose touched hers and she felt his sultry breath over her mouth as he began to speak softly in that irresistible accent of his.

"We have company." He whispered.

In that moment another voice, loud and angry, bounced off the surrounding walls. "What's going on here?"

Caroline opened her eyes, pulling away from Klaus, noticing he had his eyes glued on someone behind her. His smirk was taunting and something about his gaze expressed deep satisfaction. The blonde turned around, finding Tyler staring at both of them with animosity.

"Tyler–" She replied, unable to say anything else.

"In my own house, Caroline?" He continued, taking a few steps towards them. "With him?" He scoffed.

Caroline looked back at Klaus, his smirk had somehow gotten wider. She turned back to the young hybrid with a look of defiance in her eyes. "We weren't doing anything."

Tyler looked away disgusted. "You weren't doing anything, _yet_."

"Come on mate! We both know you're angry at me, not her." Klaus sneered, lowering his head and staring at him with piercing eyes.

The hybrid returned the Original's gesture, his jaw tightening in anger. "You have no idea how much I want you dead."

Klaus chuckled, his response provoking Tyler further. "Is your anger towards me so vast that you're willing to take yourself down and the rest of your friends in order to get rid of me?"

His question made the young hybrid smile, "Answering that would ruin the surprise."

Caroline rolled her eyes, Tyler had no idea what he was doing. He pretended to be smarter but at this point he might as well have told Klaus his whole plan.

She felt like she had to intervene. "Tyler why aren't you with your date? You and I are no longer together. There's absolutely no need for this." She said without remorse.

Tyler was confounded, he clenched his jaw, knowing if he said anything he'd ruin his so-called ruse. "I was looking for you because you're needed outside." He gave Klaus a menacing look before glancing back at her.

The blonde only nodded, giving him a dismissive gesture.

* * *

Caroline leaned over the wooden bridge, watching the shallow stream of water pass underneath it as Klaus did the same. His shoulder pressed up against hers, the sleeve of his jacket brushing lightly against her bare arm. She looked over at him, smiling as the setting sun disappeared behind the tree lining.

The last of the tables were being carried out by the caterers and she sighed in relief, glad that the event was finally over. "Thank you for not starting a fight with Tyler earlier." She said quietly.

Klaus smirked, "I wasn't planning on ruining your day. I know how important today was for you, love."

She raised her eyebrows, surprised by his understanding. "Even though deep down you were probably cringing, right?"

The Original cocked his head to the side. "I wasn't here because I had to be. I was here because I wanted to."

Caroline laughed, turning around and reclining her lower back against the bridge's wooden arched railing. "Yeah, well if you had been smarter, you would've opted for a more formal date and not some girly pageant."

Klaus looked at her with a serious expression. "Do you know that I actually lost count of how many times you smiled today?"

Her breathing hitched and she looked away shyly. "What?"

"I know this makes you happy, Caroline. And that's all that matters to me."

The atmosphere was now dark, tiny bright stars were becoming visible overhead and the sound of chirping crickets began to grow exponentially. The blonde knew this was how their day was ending, a little different than before and yet still very much the same. She'd be going back home, Stefan would be crashing at her place and then they'd have a long conversation about Elena's sire bond to Damon. She exhaled deeply, looking up at the night sky.

"You're different." She admitted, "And thank you for not bringing up how stupid and ridiculous this whole event was." The Original only smiled, knowing there was nothing he could say to make her believe he truly had enjoyed his time with her.

The party area was now completely empty. There was absolutely no trace left of the pageant festivities. Klaus looked at her with admiration, a faint smile present on his lips as his eyes roamed her face.

"Are you ready to go home?" There was a hint of disappointment in his voice. The blonde nodded, pursing her lips.

They walked over the bridge, stopping again once they reached the grassy hill. "Can I ask you a favor?" She blurted out.

The Original gave her his full attention. "I'm listening."

"Stefan needs a place to stay the night. I know you and him aren't in very good terms right now but it would really help me out a lot if... he... stayed at your place... instead of mine." She said between pauses.

Klaus furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't understand, what's going on?"

Caroline didn't have a chance to speak before her phone started ringing in her purse. She looked up at Klaus, her eyes expressing the fact that it was Stefan who was calling her. The blonde picked up quickly, listening to her friend explain the situation. The Original was paying close attention, catching on to his every word. Caroline put him on hold, glancing at Klaus knowingly.

"I know Elena is sired to Damon."

The Original looked at her in awe, surprised by how fast she'd caught on. "How are you so sure about that?"

"I know you've noticed it too. She does everything Damon says, she agrees with everything he says... I don't have time to explain but both you and I know it's true."

"What do you want me to do about it?" He replied, uninterested in Elena's relationship problems.

"I need you to be a good friend to Stefan and let him stay at your place."

Klaus laughed. "You want _me_ to be a good friend to _him_. You've all been trying to kill me over and over. How could you possibly ask that of me?"

"Klaus–" She leaned into him, placing a hand on his arm and sliding it down suggestively, "Please. For me?"

The Original looked down at her hand, giving in to her request. He asked for her phone, taking Stefan off hold and putting it up to his ear. She listened as they talked things through and even though Stefan was reluctant at first, he eventually agreed to go to the Mikaelson mansion. All Klaus had to say was that he knew something very important about Elena that would be of interest to him, for Stefan to be convinced.

Klaus hung up, giving Caroline a not-so-pleased look. "Happy?"

The blonde smirked.

* * *

After a meeting with Stefan at the Mikaelson mansion – and hours of talking about Elena's little problem – Klaus finally took Caroline home. They pulled up to her house and she barely had a chance to move before he opened the door of the car for her. It was amazing how chivalrous he could be, taking into account the amount of terror he was able to pose at any given moment. She swung her legs to the side, gazing up at him from the seat of the car and giving him a smile before coming to her feet.

The lights of the house were off and the neighborhood was quiet for a Saturday evening. Caroline walked up to the door, assuming Klaus was walking along with her. It was like a scene from one of the most ridiculous, cliche chick flicks she loved so much. They stood in front of the door, each giving the other a smile and an awkward nod before she pulled her keys out of her purse.

"Where's Sheriff Forbes this evening?" Klaus asked.

Caroline smiled. "Working, I'd assume."

"Hmmm.." He replied.

She grinned, "Listen. If you want to come in, you know you don't need an invitation."

There was a silence that took over, both of them trying to decipher exactly what she had meant by that. And then the blonde burst into a giggle, causing him to chuckle at her bluntness. After their laughter had died down, she looked at her watch. She still had some time to kill and she could think of plenty of perfect ways to do it. Her body released a rush of adrenaline at the thought but her mind kept telling her it would probably end up being a disaster.

"Do you want to come in?" She hummed, her eyes pleading for him to stay.

The Original thought about it for a minute, struggling with his own inner turmoil. He finally managed a smile, "Sure."

He stepped under the doorframe, taking a few steps into the small hall, as Caroline closed the door behind them. Klaus took a moment to look around, the last time he had been there he'd been tending to her werewolf bite.

"So–" He began but was quickly shut down by the eager blonde.

Caroline wrapped her hands around his neck, her lips pressing against his with ardor. Klaus was taken aback by her sudden peaked interest. His lips parted, tasting her soft flesh and nipping at them joyously. His tongue snaked in between her teeth, teasing the roof of her mouth and joining hers in a sweltering dance. His hands wrapped around her, one caressing her lower back and the other grasping on to the back of her neck. Their hearts were beating incessantly and their breathing accelerating in perfect rhythm.

Klaus took her face between his hands. "What are you doing?"

"What I want." She replied, slamming her mouth into his once again.

The blonde pushed him against walls, his body carelessly allowing hers to guide him. She pushed her bedroom door open, moaning against his lips as she peeled off his jacket. The Original tried pulling away, but her taste and the grasp she had on his lips didn't allow him to. Her hands ran down his chest, wildly unbuckling his belt and undoing his pants. Klaus' fingers travelled over her back, pulling down her dress' zipper in a swift motion. Caroline gasped, feeling his fingers gently scraping her skin.

"Sweetheart, I don't think you're ready for this." He muttered.

Caroline smiled against his lips, sliding her hand under his pants. She felt Klaus' body grow tense at her touch and this in turn made her build up become almost unbearable.

"I am ready." She whispered, "And by the feel of it, so are you."

Klaus' lips parted, feeling her soft hand wrap around his smooth and silky hardness. She wrapped her fingers around it, moving her hand up and down meticulously and applying pressure to it. His reaction made her hunger intensify. Caroline brushed his tip with her thumb, feeling the warm, slippery substance being released from him. He moaned, his hands tearing off her dress until she was standing in front of him in nothing but a black thong.

He pushed her onto the bed as he hovered over her. He kissed her lips and trailed his mouth over the curvatures of her neck; she smelled and tasted of sweet vanilla and swirls of strawberry. Caroline's hands held on to his dirty blonde curls, as his roamed free over her milky skin. His lips made their way down to her chest; Klaus could hear her heart pounding uncontrollably. He twirled his tongue around the flush skin of her breasts, causing her to moan and clench to his hair. Her nipples perked up, in response to her arousal. He took one of them between his lips, gently pulling at it and feeling her body writhe beneath him. The blonde lifted up her hips, rubbing her center against his hardness as his mouth continued to infuse her with pleasure.

She was breathing hard, her chest rose and fell with each touch. His lips soon abandoned her breasts and travelled a path down south. Caroline buried her head into the sheets, feeling the gentle touch of his fingers sliding along her sides. The feel of his mouth lingering over the area right below her navel was torture. She finally perched herself up on her elbows, watching him take his time and moaning in satisfaction. Her eyes flickered over to the alarm clock on her nightstand, the numbers becoming her most detested enemy. _11:58_.

"No... no... no..." She said in an almost inaudible voice.

Klaus looked up, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing! Please don't stop!" Caroline begged.

His fingers took a hold of her undergarment, pulling it down to reveal the smooth and perfectly groomed area between her legs. Klaus ran his tongue along her inner thighs, causing her to gasp and shiver. Caroline threw her head back on the bed, knowing very well that was probably the last thing she would feel.

* * *

**AAAAAAHHHH don't hate me guys! Instead, think of it as reaching another base with every chapter! Would this be considered third base? :P Please leave me a quick comment. I wanna know what you think! xoxo**


	9. Chapter 9

**It's time for another update! I took quite a while, I apologize. I've been super busy with RL but I promise to make it a point to update once a week from now on! **

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**Chapter 9: Gone**

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"Son of a bitch!" Caroline exclaimed, frustrated by what had just happened. She knew everything had been too good to last.

She turned around to find herself alone in the dark school hallway, her footsteps echoing down the empty corridor of lockers. Her hand automatically came up to her face, feeling a bit of discomfort at the corners of her mouth with every facial movement she made. She slid her fingers over it, feeling evidence of burns and a slight stinging sensation at the touch.

The only source of light was coming from outside, as the rays of sunshine penetrated through the tall glass windows. Still, it wasn't enough to light up the hall completely, everything around her was ominously lit and its silence was maddening. Her feet moved carefully, taking a few steps backwards as she swallowed nervously. Caroline knew what day it was and her heart began thumping faster at the thought. She was in the middle of finishing a deep exhale when she felt a sudden jolt to her body. It took her by surprise even though she was half expecting it. Her whole body twirled at vampire speed, everything around her became a blur.

Caroline felt his arm around her body, tightly clutching on to her as his other hand rested over her mouth. She hummed into his hand, protesting to be let go.

"Shhhh. It's okay, it's okay it's me." Klaus took his hand off her mouth and moved it over to the golden strands of hair that fell over her shoulder.

Her heart was beating fast and she felt short of breath. The blonde turned to look at him, allowing him to keep his hands on her – enjoying a little too much the way his body was pressed up against hers from behind.

"It's okay, you're safe." He assured her.

Caroline shivered, feeling his hot breath brush up like feathers against her ear. The way he pulled her into his body in such a welcoming manner, caused her sexually frustrated inner being to lose herself in the moment. She could feel his rigid chest against her and his hips against the curves of her lower back. He felt firm and rigid like stone but warm and comforting like a blanket. Caroline felt completely and utterly safe in his arms.

His hand on her stomach only reminded her of the feeling of his lips running along her lower abs and entering her most sensitive area. She closed her eyes, aware that it was not the time or place to be thinking of such things. The moistening between her legs, however, disagreed. Her body was reacting in ways completely inappropriate for the situation but nobody could blame her after what she had just experienced.

Klaus shifted his gaze down the hall, knowing Alaric was holding Elena hostage only a few yards away. His hands gently caressed the side of her neck as he breathed quietly, his lips once again coming in very close proximity with the side of her face.

"We'll save Elena. You go straight home, you stay inside. You understand?" He muttered, his words sounding more like an order than a request.

Caroline only stared at him in silence, her eyes trying to find a trace of the man she had just been with partaking in a completely different scenario. She could've sworn she blushed at the thought, but it was more than clear he wasn't thinking of anything else but her safety at the moment. An overwhelming amount of guilt took over her as she remembered what would happen to him later that day. Here he was, trying to help her and his friends, only to be stabbed in the back by everyone he was helping. After she didn't reply to his question, he took a hold of her arm, turning her body away from him.

Klaus' eyes were dark and grim. "Do you understand me?" He asked once again.

"Yes, I understand." She replied, nodding. Her eyes shifted to his lips, as he held his gaze on her. "Thank you."

Caroline knew she only had a second before he'd take off. Her hand reached for his jacket, clasping onto it as if afraid to lose sight of it. "Be careful."

Klaus looked at her astounded and he was speechless for a moment before he realized they were wasting time, "You need to go."

But the blonde was determined to change his fate, even if it was just for the day. She kept a tight grip on him, "Listen to me–"

"The longer we're here, the more likely Elena won't make it out of there alive." He interrupted.

Caroline shook her head, "She's going to be fine. Now, I need you to listen to me," She repeated. "Whatever you do, don't hurt her. If you do, they'll come looking for you and they will take you down."

Klaus smirked with confidence, "They can't kill me."

"No, but that doesn't mean they won't try." She replied.

The Original gave her a dubious look, "Why are you telling me this?"

"Just trust me." She said sternly.

He looked at her for a couple seconds, both their eyes locked on each other as if searching for some kind of truth. Caroline's lips parted, her words dying before they even left her tongue. The Original was gone.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon, by now she was certain everything at the school had gone down with similar failed results. Her feet moved across the sidewalk and up the driveway swiftly as she reached the Mikaelson mansion. The front door was open and Tyler was busy moving boxes around. He stopped dead on his tracks as soon as he saw her standing at the entrance.

"Caroline, what are you doing here?" He asked concerned.

He set the box down and walked up to her, taking her into his arms almost in a smothering fashion. Caroline missed him, she missed having her friend around. But the countless times she'd been moved by a gesture like this seemed like a thing of the past. She no longer felt the increase beating of her heart or her body light up like a furnace at his touch. This time, it was different. Hugging Tyler was no different than hugging Matt, or Stefan for that matter, and this made her realize how much things had changed in her.

"Where's Klaus?" She asked, as soon as the hybrid let go.

He raised an eyebrow, "Why do you need Klaus?"

Caroline continued walking further into the house, making her way to the family room. "It's complicated." She answered, crossing her arms over her chest.

Tyler narrowed his eyes, he sensed there was something odd about her. While she wasn't being completely indifferent, there was a sense of frigidness to her attitude towards him that made him wary. He took a few steps towards her, a smile spreading over his face. His head tilted to the side as if trying to make her laugh.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

The blonde looked away. There were so many things that were _wrong_ that she didn't have enough time to explain it. Before she had a chance to say anything, a screeching voice interrupted her train of thought.

"Let go of me!" Elena demanded with a tone of anger.

Tyler and Caroline both shifted their gaze towards the room adjacent to the one they were in. Klaus passed by quickly, dragging the doppelganger by the arm. Caroline pursed her lips, tightening her jaw in frustration. She had only taken a few steps before Tyler blocked her way. He shook his head. The blonde looked at him with dagger eyes, trying to go around him.

"Caroline." He whispered, "Let me do this."

_Do what, exactly? _Caroline thought, rolling her eyes. At this point his idea of fixing things and hers were completely different. She only wanted to help Elena and talk things out with Klaus before Damon and Stefan showed up to turn him into a vegetable.

"I can talk to him." She murmured.

Tyler shook his head. "He's too dangerous, Caroline."

"Not to me." She said with confidence. "I can talk him out of this."

The hybrid gave her a presumptuous look. "He's a monster. He has no feelings, remember? He'll kill you if you get in his way."

Caroline swallowed hard, Tyler's words actually felt like a punch to the gut. She shook her head, negating his statement. "No, he won't."

The blonde once again tried to walk around him and he once again stopped her. "I'll help Elena." He said.

She pretended to be calm, nodding, as if giving Tyler permission to go investigate. The hybrid turned around to leave, giving Caroline enough time to beat him to it.

When she entered the other room, she found Elena strapped to a chair. A bag of blood hung from the side, connected to her vein by a long tube and needle. She took a deep breathe, walking towards her friend.

"Elena." Her voice caused the brunette's eyes to snap open.

"Caroline?" She asked confused, looking around.

The blonde pursed her lips, ripping away the ropes that had her tied down to the chair and gently pulling out the needle from her arm. She was almost done setting her free when she sensed a presence in the room with them. She didn't have to turn around to know it was Klaus. Caroline ignored him, continuing to untie her friend.

His voice was thunderous, "What do you think you're doing?"

She turned around, becoming aware of Tyler's presence only a few feet away from him. The young hybrid brought his finger up to his mouth, asking her to keep quiet.

"I asked you not to hurt her." She remarked, helping Elena come to her feet.

"But you know I need her blood, love." Klaus replied, lifting up only one corner of his mouth in a devious smirk.

"Why couldn't you just trust me? It was one simple request!" She raised her voice, letting go of the brunette and taking a couple steps in his direction.

Caroline noticed as his expression turned to anger. "Look, Caroline, just because I have a soft spot for you doesn't mean I'm going to do whatever you want." He clenched his jaw.

Her face scrunched up in frustration. "You have serious trust issues, you know that?"

Klaus laughed. "I didn't get to be a powerful, one-thousand-year-old vampire by trusting people, sweetheart."

The Original's stubborn ways were causing her to lose her patience. She turned to Elena, "Let's go."

"You're not going anywhere!" He countered, quickly walking over to the doppelganger.

Tyler decided this was a good time to strike, catapulting himself into the Original and throwing him to the ground. Klaus' eyes glowed a vibrant gold as the veins under his eyes protruded from his skin and his fangs appeared. He growled ferociously, throwing Tyler against the wall. The young hybrid landed on all fours, a snarl escaping his throat as he too showed signs of transforming.

"Leave! Now!" Caroline ordered, ushering Elena towards the door.

"Caroline–"

"Now, Elena!"

The doppelganger ran out the door as fast as she could and Caroline watched helplessly as the two hybrids faced each other. Pieces of furniture hurled through the air like they were being ravaged by a force of nature. The sound of broken glass and cracking bones was all that she could hear as she found it hard to keep up with their rapid movements.

She finally saw Klaus pin Tyler to the wall, his hand was wrapped around his neck as the young hybrid struggled to set himself free. Klaus' other arm broke off a chunk of the wooden chair, bringing the piece of wood up in the air, ready to strike. Caroline knew she had to do something, she couldn't just stand there and watch as one of her friends got murdered.

Her body flung across the room and her hand made contact with Klaus' arm, before a force pushed her out of the way. Caroline's body was slammed against the stone walls of the fireplace, the heavy blow causing her to lose focus for a second. When her eyes adjusted, she heard Klaus screaming in pain and watched as Tyler and Damon restrained him. Stefan had his hand in his chest and she gasped, knowing what was going on.

"No!" She screamed, coming to her feet.

Caroline shoved Stefan out of the way, his blood-covered fingers grazing her clothes. Klaus sneered, the enormous rush of anger making him even more powerful than he already was. He hurled Damon against the wall with force before propelling a shocked Tyler across the room. Both the young hybrid and the vampire were visibly shaken but neither of them had the courage to continue a fight they knew they'd lose. They quickly disappeared from sight, assuming the rest would follow. Stefan and Caroline were now alone with Klaus in the Mikaelson home.

The Original brought his hand up to his chest, feeling the wound begin to close underneath his fingers. He glanced down at Stefan with a painfully disappointed look in his eyes. Caroline was out of breath, her eyes glazed over with tears.

"Congratulations, Stefan. You just lost the only friend you had." He growled.

His eyes shifted to the blonde. He was at a loss for words. Caroline had warned him this would happen and even after he didn't listen, she still saved him from becoming a living corpse.

She could see how difficult this was for him; Klaus wasn't used to owing anyone anything, much less showing weakness by being grateful. "Thank you." He muttered, before vanishing before their eyes.

* * *

"You better have a good explanation for ruining this whole plan!" Damon yelled.

Everyone was gathered at the Salvatore home, their plan had been a disaster and they all had Caroline to thank for that.

"And you better have a good explanation for running like a coward and leaving Stefan and I to fend for ourselves!" Caroline countered, shifting her gaze to Tyler.

The hybrid looked away sheepishly, knowing he had acted like anything but a protective _boyfriend_ at the time.

"Caroline did save me." Elena chimed in, holding a cup of hot tea between her hands.

"I can't do the spell anymore." Bonnie muttered, "It took too much out of me."

Damon bit down on his lip, his eyes going wild with rage. "Great! Perfect."

"Even if Bonnie could do the spell, I really doubt Klaus is sticking around to give us a second shot at desiccating him." Stefan grimaced, his gaze fixated on the fire burning in the base of the chimney.

Caroline's face turned grim. Stefan's words were like a slap to the face. "You think he left town?" Her words were quiet and childlike.

Everyone turned their gaze towards her. She looked at every single person in the room, all of them staring at her in bewilderment. What she had done today was not on par with who she was, not according to them.

"Why the sudden feelings of remorse? Don't you remember everything he's done to me, to Elena?" Tyler asked accusingly.

The blonde remained quiet, simply looking away and avoiding their reprimanding stares. She was proud of herself for actually doing what she had intended. The plan had changed because she had intercepted it, but she couldn't help feeling like the worst friend in the world. It was like she was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"What's the plan now?" The hybrid asked the others.

"We have to focus on our Alaric problem." Damon began, his voice fading away as Caroline's mind drifted off.

She was tired of listening to their plans, especially knowing they wouldn't come to fruition. Soon she would find herself who-knows-where and when, and even though she knew there was nothing she could do to change the course of events, she couldn't help trying. The blonde looked away, staring out the window across the room. It was night already and gloom had encompassed the world outside the Salvatore home.

She came to her feet. "I have to go."

"Caroline." Elena looked at her perturbed, "What's going on?"

"If I told you, you wouldn't believe me." She stated. "There's something I have to do."

Elena took a deep inhale, looking at the others meekly. The blonde felt like she didn't owe anyone any explanations and began to make her way to the door.

* * *

The atmosphere outside was hauntingly similar to the night of the Winter Wonderland event. The cold breeze made the tall slender trees along her path bend like licorice, as she walked through the murkiness of the woods. Her feet moved incessantly, never coming to rest until she had reached the Mikaelson mansion. Her expression soon turned solemn; unlike that night, the lights of the vast home weren't flickering against the dark sky.

Caroline didn't bother knocking, her hand went directly to the door handle. She shook it a few times, until the lock broke off and it popped open before her. Her head tilted, peering into the darkness in front of her eyes. A feeling of loneliness and melancholia filled the air as her feet made the wooden tiles underneath her feet creak with every step she took. The house looked like it had been abandoned. There wasn't a single sign of anyone being home. The sofas in the living room were covered with white sheets and a few empty boxes lied on the floor. The center tables were still there and most of the decorations had been left behind but a couple of the frames that once hung on the wall were now missing.

She walked through every room, each time feeling a heaviness invade her soul, filling her with a sense of indescribable desolation. She stopped at the bottom of the spiral staircase, looking up at the infinite steps and perking up her ears as if trying to listen for something. Anything. Her hand moved along the smooth, wooden railing as her feet took the first few steps up to the second floor of the home.

_Why are you still here?_ She asked herself, still walking further down the hall and passing doors left and right.

"Hello?" Caroline's voice was but a mere whisper.

_There's no one here. Leave. _She told herself again and yet her feet continued moving until they reached the last bedroom. She gulped, turning the handle and pushing the door open. It was Klaus' room. The missing paintings and the small desk with unfinished sketches proved her assumption. The bed was made, but it was obvious that some of the belonging were missing. Some drawers were left open and there were things scattered on the floor. It almost looked like someone had burglarized the place.

Caroline walked to the desk, moving the papers around until she found one that caught her attention over the rest. It had only visible fragments but she knew right away it couldn't have been anyone else's face but hers. She pulled it out from underneath the pile, her chest tightening as her heart felt like it was being repeatedly beaten with a mallet.

Her breathing became abnormal and she took a seat atop the elegantly-made bed. She'd gone to the Mikaelson mansion hoping to find him, to reason with him, but there was no one left to reason with.

"Stefan was right." She muttered to herself. "He's gone."

The whirlwind of feelings hit her, the moment she spoke aloud. Caroline felt a knot forming in her throat, so large that it was becoming impossible for her to breathe. She stared at the drawing, her vision becoming blurry with the impending tears that were forming in her eyes. She told herself this wasn't really happening but no matter how much she tried to deny it, the feelings of grief and despair didn't allow her to reason with herself.

She blinked, feeling her wet, warm tears roll down her cheeks. Caroline didn't understand how something that wasn't real could hurt so much. Her body slowly bent over to the side as she nuzzled into the pillow. The familiar smell of his scent hit her nose and she buried her face into it, the tears becoming more abundant as the time passed. Caroline realized then, that she couldn't risk losing him. His absence made her question everything she thought she already knew. She closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down until eventually she inadvertently surrendered to a deep slumber.

* * *

**I've received a few questions asking if I'm planning to include newer events that have recently happened on the show. When I plan a story I like to outline every chapter, so I already know what's going to happen next and how everything is going to end. Unfortunately adding anything that's happened recently on the show would mess with my plans too much. I would prefer to go with my original outline instead of messing with it to accommodate recent happenings. I hope you all understand! **


	10. Chapter 10

**I have fluff for you guys! I just edited this chapter and it only made my withdrawals worst. I miss them so much, thank God this hiatus is halfway over! Things are about to change quite a bit, you'll notice from this chapter. I'll explain a bit at the end to ease any confusion you may have.**

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**Chapter 10: Something Unexpected**

* * *

_Someday he'll come along, the man I love. And he'll be big and strong, the man I love. And when he comes my way, I'll do my best to make him stay._

The buzzing of people filled Caroline's ears as she saw many of her classmates around her dancing closely with their dates. Her eyes wandered around, taking note of girls dressed in their flapper best and the boys in their 20's get-up. She pulled her chin away from her partner's shoulder, turning slightly to see a smiling Tyler looking back at her. Her lips pressed together, forming a faint smile as her eyes conveyed confusion. The smooth melody and charming lyrics, enveloped them in a sense of ease, making her feel like she was drifting on the dance floor. The feeling in her chest was still heavy with a lingering sense of sadness from the jolt of emotions she had just experienced.

She could still feel the nonexistent tears running down her face, their saltiness touching her lips as she sobbed against the feather down pillow. Tyler stared at her earnestly, trying to decipher the meaning behind her solemn expression. His eyes crinkled at the corners as a smile appeared on his face, his lips hovering closer to her mouth in an attempt to give her a kiss. The blonde turned her face in a very unpredictable manner, which caught the hybrid by surprise. She once again rested her chin against his shoulder, evading the impending kiss. Tyler's movements became faint, until they finally halted and his body stiffened as if in shock.

"Where have you been mate?" Klaus' voice caused her to snap her head up.

Caroline looked at the Original, her heart leaping in her chest and her hands letting go of the young hybrid before her. Just a few moments ago, she'd been crying, desolated by the fact that he had skipped town. She tried her best to hide the joy she felt inside but it was as if it was surging out from every pore in her body.

"I just got back in town." Tyler replied, eyeing him with disdain.

The blonde remained quiet, keeping her eyes on Klaus, reciting his following line in her head. She was amazed at how good her memory was. The Original didn't waste any time exerting his power over Tyler.

"That's funny. I don't recall giving you permission to leave in the first place." He stated, taking a few steps towards them.

Klaus' focus quickly shifted towards Caroline. His facial features softened and a ghost of a smile formed on his lips as their eyes met. He was standing only a few feet away from them and the blonde felt that familiar tug in her stomach intensify, the closer he got. Their eyes were locked on each other, and all she wanted to do was embrace him with all the strength she possessed. It was as if someone was returning something she thought she'd lost forever.

The Original turned his attention back to his hybrid. "You don't mind if I cut in, do you?" His accent made his request pleasantly irresistible.

Caroline knew she was supposed to speak up. She was supposed to object to it and reject him like she'd done so many times before. Tyler wrapped his hand around her waist and the blonde felt a slight squeeze, as if the hybrid was asking her to say something. The blonde parted her lips, feeling like she was in need of more oxygen. She turned back to Tyler who was giving her an uncertain stare. She could almost feel his aggravation at the fact that she wasn't doing anything to oppose Klaus' desire to dance with her. Her heart was beating rapidly as the urge to have him close increased.

Seeing as Caroline wouldn't be opposing, Tyler actually made an attempt to deter Klaus' advances, "There are plenty of single girls at this dance. I think my girlfriend should be off limits."

Klaus narrowed his eyes, a dark shadow forming over his face. "Caroline?" He purred.

She bit down on her lip, before relinquish a coquettish smile. The Original's eyes lit up with glee at her response. "One dance? I won't bite." He said seductively, extending his hand to her.

Caroline placed her hand on his and a smile surfaced on the Original's face. His dimples became visible as he beamed back at her. The blonde couldn't hide it any longer, she smiled, happy to have him back even if it was just for the rest of the night. He guided her further into the dance floor, eloquently twirling her and wrapping his arm around the small of her back. His touch was something she never thought she'd crave, but the longer he kept his hands on her, the better it made her feel. He pulled her in close, their bodies touching just enough to cause an electrifying friction between them. His shoulder grazed her chin, the smell of his cologne invading all her senses.

"Why are you here?" She spoke softly, before he had a chance to tell her how much she would've loved the 1920's.

They moved elegantly along with the music, "My sister can be a bit persuasive." He replied, leaning into her ear and gently touching the side of her face with his.

Caroline naturally gravitated towards him. Her eyes widening at the fact that Rebekah really wasn't who she claimed she was but really Esther in disguise. "You need to leave."

Klaus looked at her, their feet still in rhythm. "Leave? But I just got here." He replied ever-so-charming.

The blonde looked back at Tyler who was gazing at her suspiciously. She glanced once again at the Original, "Why is this happening?" She said to herself out loud, irritated.

He didn't have a clue what she was talking about. His eyes narrowed and a playful smirk formed on his lips. "Why did you agree to dance with me?"

The question took her by surprise. "Would you have taken _no _for an answer?" She quickly replied.

Klaus grinned, knowing very well that he would've insisted on it. He pulled her in even closer, and she felt a burst of heat spread through her body as a result. "Can you blame me? I thought this was a proper way to say goodbye."

The blonde gave him a downcast look. "Where are you going?"

The music slowly faded and they came to a halt, the smooth melody turning into a more rhythmic tune. Caroline stared deep into the Original's eyes, waiting for him to give her an answer.

"Somewhere. Anywhere." He simply stated. "I'd invite you to come with me but we both know you're not ready to accept my offer. Perhaps one day–" He rested his face against her cheek, his lips tenderly caressing her skin as he spoke, "In a year or even in a century, you'll turn up at my door and let me show you what the world has to offer."

His gaze fell upon her pools of blue, a pull so intense that she could feel her lips becoming increasingly drawn to his. She gulped, remembering the watchful eyes of Tyler Lockwood were still on them. Her mouth became inundated with desire as she glanced down at his plump lips, so deliciously inviting.

Without thinking it twice, she took a hold of his hand and tugged at it, guiding him away from the dance floor. The Original followed as they made their way between the sea of dancing people. He was confounded, incapable of making sense of her actions. Tyler watched from a distance, his eyes unable to process what he was seeing. It only took milliseconds before the two quickly disappeared amongst the crowd.

Caroline guided him down the school hall, the further they went, the quieter everything got. They turned a corner, coming to the backdoor exit. The blonde pushed down on the bar, a gust of cold air hitting their faces as they stepped out into the isolated parking lot.

"What would you say if I told you I was ready to come with you?" She asked, cornering him against the building.

He narrowed his eyes, cocking his head, perplexed by her words. He shook his head, "No."

She felt her heart sink into the pit of her stomach. "Why?"

"You're not ready." He said firmly, "What kind of game are you playing?" His eyes searched the perimeter.

"There's no one here but us, Klaus." She said, "And I'm not playing any games."

Klaus' expression was that of doubt. He stared at her for a few moments, realizing she was being serious. "You really do want to join me?" His words were gentle and he felt his heart's beating intensify.

Caroline's scarlet lips parted, a grin spreading across her face as she nodded. She placed her hands on the back of his neck, interlacing her fingers as she brought her face up to his. Klaus leaned into her, meeting her halfway.

"Take me with you." She murmured, "Take me wherever you want."

Her mouth crashed into his, finally giving in to her craving to taste his lips once again. Klaus hummed into her mouth, unable to believe what was happening. Up until that point, Caroline had been terse and distant. She had been nothing but a tool of distraction and now she was willingly giving in to him. His chest felt like it was going to erupt. The pressure her body was applying to the stiffening between his legs as her tongue slipped into his mouth, was the closest he'd ever been to heaven.

His back slammed against the building wall as her ardent kisses continued to attack his mouth. Caroline felt herself being consumed by a raging need to have him closer. Her heart was pounding relentlessly and she exhaled rapidly as she parted ways with his lips, feeling a strange sensation.

"No, no, no." She repeated over and over, "What's going on?" Her eyes roamed their surrounding, everything was becoming a thin veil of darkness as things before her began changing. She looked back at Klaus with consternation. "It's not time yet!"

Her continuous refusal to accept what was happening was useless. A feeling of fright filled her being as she realized something was terribly wrong. How was she experiencing a change in time when it was still hours from the start of a new day? She looked around in panic as everything around her took the shape of something else. A nauseating feeling invaded her stomach as her surroundings began to settle.

* * *

Caroline found herself huddled in the corner of an abandoned building. Her eyes became wide like saucers as she looked around for any sign of life. She looked down at the clothing she was wearing, an elegant red dress with jewel studded straps. Her hair was curled and longer than it had ever been – the length almost reaching her lower back. She began to panic, realizing she'd never lived this moment before in her life.

Klaus came running though the door, dressed in a tailored designer suit, and looking impossibly gorgeous. The mere sight of him almost made Caroline forget about the problem she was in. He smiled at her, a different kind of look in his eyes that she'd never seen before. The Original looked relieved and his gaze surpassed that of adoration.

"Sweetheart, I'm so glad you're okay." He came to her side, helping her to her feet.

He placed both hands on her cheeks and pressed his lips against hers. His kiss was tender and loving and she closed her eyes, enjoying every second of it. Caroline's mind was racing; there were so many questions that needed answering.

Klaus pulled away. "He's gone for now but I'm sure he'll be back, if we don't leave soon." He informed her.

"What's going on?" She asked in a shaky voice.

Klaus looked at her concerned, "The hunter, the one we dodged in Vancouver a few months ago. He's back, I'm afraid we can't stay here anymore."

That still didn't answer her question. The blonde looked at him frightened, "I need to find Bonnie." She said in the verge of tears. "Where is she?"

"Bonnie?" He asked baffled, "Your witch friend? In Mystic Falls, I'd assume." The Original took a hold of her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers.

"Where are we?" She muttered.

Klaus looked at her with worried eyes. "Sweetheart, are you okay? Are you hurt? Did you hit your head?"

"I'm fine." She replied, becoming a bit agitated. "Just tell me where we are."

The Original smiled at her, running his fingers along her jaw. "New York City, love."

Caroline was silent, how exactly was she going to explain this to him? He was going to treat her like a lunatic. Her blood pressure increased as she began to fall victim to feelings of anxiety.

"I'm sorry our special day got ruined." He lamented, "After all this time without an incident and he decides to strike on our anniversary, of all days."

Caroline gulped. _Anniversary?_ She thought, immediately looking down at her ring finger and scrutinizing his as well. They were bare, making at least one thing certain – they weren't married. The thought of the word alone gave her irregular heart palpitations. She tried to calm herself down but the more she thought about the situation, the more she panicked.

"What are we going to do?" She said, taking a hold of his arms.

"Where would you like to go?" He asked, "I know you love it here but it's too risky. I wouldn't want to put you in any kind of danger."

Caroline was overwhelmed. She had just agreed to go with him wherever he wanted and now he was asking her about their next destination. She looked into his eyes and it was impossible not to see the warm kindness they exuded towards her. Something had really changed in him, it was like all traces of the murderous vampire she once knew were gone. Her mind hadn't even finished processing the though when his face turned into that of a feral creature, disproving her assumption. Someone had entered the premises and Klaus dealt with it the only way he knew how. He turned to the intruder, rapidly holding him by the throat until the man found himself gasping for air.

"Who are you?" Klaus snarled, showing his fangs. "What are you doing here?" The man tried to speak but his voice was struggling to come through. There was a visible terrified expression plastered on his face.

"Klaus!" Caroline said in a loud reprimanding voice.

The Original turned to her, loosening his grasp on the intruder. The man was frightened, like a defenseless child, "I'm just looking for a place to sleep."

His ragged clothing and dirty appearance confirmed what he was claiming. Caroline walked in their direction, nodding at Klaus to let him go. She placed her hands on the man's shoulders and looked intently into his eyes. "Don't be afraid. You go ahead and sleep. We were never here. You never saw us or spoke to us." She said calmly, in a sweet voice, as she watched his pupils dilate at her words.

The man nodded, entering into a state of oblivion as he made himself comfortable in the same spot Caroline had just been hiding. Klaus took her by the hand and they made their way into the shadowy and lonely streets of the city. Her heels echoed down empty alleys with every step she took as they continued moving at a fast pace.

"Your kindness and good heart never cease to amaze me." The Original stated. "This is why I need you in my life." He smiled.

Caroline took the compliment to heart, still wondering about something he had brought up earlier. "So... Our anniversary," she began, trying to find a way to get information without giving herself away, "Seems just like yesterday."

The Original smiled, stopping at the entrance of a giant skyscraper. "Five years fly by when you're a vampire." He replied.

She looked at him shocked. _Five years_. _Was that how long she'd been gone from Mystic Falls? _

"You're everything to me, Caroline." He confessed, "I've never been so afraid of losing something as much as I was tonight." Klaus' admission caused her heart to flutter, "You're the last piece of humanity I have left in this world. If I lost you, I don't know what I would do."

"Why would you even think that?" She asked.

"After everything you've gone through because of me, you still ask?" He replied, "Just know that I would die before I'd let anything happen to you." His hands held on to her face, "I will always keep you safe, love."

Caroline felt her heart swell with joy at his words. She didn't know exactly what he meant by 'everything you've gone through' but she could only imagine it had to do with a similar situation like the one from tonight. The blonde realized that a life with Klaus would be adventurous and dangerous. She knew that being with him would be anything but easy. But somehow, the fact that he was willing to protect her until his last breath made everything else seem so minuscule in comparison.

She beamed, "How long have we been running?"

Klaus perched his eyebrows, "You've forgotten?"

Caroline looked at him with pleading eyes, "Humor me. Pretend you're telling me a story I've never heard before. I want to reminisce on our anniversary."

He pursed his lips, hesitant at first but eventually agreeing to her bizarre request. "We intercepted the hunter for the first time, only a few months after leaving Mystic Falls. We were in Jacksonville then."

Caroline gestured for him to continue. "That was the first night I truly realized how deep my feelings were for you." He smirked, "The idea of losing you drove me mad."

"And then what happened?" She asked.

"You want me to describe in detail the nightlong steamy love-making session we had?" He winked, causing Caroline to turn crimson with embarrassment.

She looked away sheepishly, "Where did we go after Jacksonville?"

Klaus chuckled, "You were fixated on the idea of going to California and seeing Hollywood. I'll never understand your obsession with movie stars but in the end, we did what you wanted. After about six months there, we made our way north to Colorado. Then we stayed in Seattle for a couple years until we finally found a place in Vancouver that you fell in love with."

Caroline had been smiling throughout his whole account. She could only imagine how amazing that time on the road must have been. "And then the hunter caught up to us in Vancouver." She concluded.

Klaus nodded. "And that's how we ended up here."

The blonde was astounded. "What happened to everyone in Mystic Falls?"

Klaus shrugged, unable to answer her question. He looked at the door in front of them, realizing they'd been standing there for a long time. He pulled the lobby door open for her. Caroline stepped inside, to her dismay, the scene in front of her changed once again almost in the blink of an eye and unveiled a completely different setting.

* * *

**Caroline got a glimpse of a possible future with Klaus, after she agreed to go with him. Of course, this isn't necessarily what would happen since anything she does in PRESENT time can change that, but she got a taste of it. From now on, the story is going to explore a number of events that will shape Caroline's feelings for Klaus even more. If you have any questions PM me or send me a message on Tumblr (lostinmysticfalls), I'll be glad to answer.**


	11. Chapter 11

**It's update time! Hey everyone, thank you so much for the sweet reviews. I love every single one of them :) I hope you enjoy this chapter (or chapterette since it's a bit short). There's a tiny bit of smut for those of you who like that kind of stuff :P LOL.**

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**Chapter 11: The Old World**

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Caroline blinked a few times, taking in the view from what she could only assume was a fives-story building. Her hands were clasped to her chest, holding up the white, crisp, bed sheet wrapped around her body. The sound of running water coming from the bathroom peaked her interest. She looked around at the empty room, the bed was unmade, there were clothes on the floor – men clothes – and the shower was running in the bathroom. Caroline's eyes widened, and she looked down slowly, peeking underneath the sheets she was wrapped in. Just as she had suspected and exactly how she felt – she was naked. She furrowed her eyebrows, looking out the window once again. The early morning sun was shining radiantly over the bustling street below. The weather looked warm and cozy, yet the people walking on the streets were dressed in coats and jackets. She smiled, eyeing children playing underneath an almost leafless tree. One thing was for sure, she wasn't in Mystic Falls anymore. Her eyes examined the buildings, the architecture, anything that could give her a clue of where she was.

She finally focused on a particular building and something peculiar caught her eye. Along the wall sat a tall, rectangular, red box. A young girl stepped inside, shutting the door behind her as her companion snapped a picture of her. Caroline gulped, _a phone booth_, she thought. The blonde narrowed her eyes to read the word "telephone" over the door and noticed the imprint of a crown right above it.

"No way..." She muttered, her eyes unable to detach themselves from the setting.

The blonde took a few steps back, turning to survey the room once again. She walked over to the small table in the corner of the room, staring at the telephone and at the welcoming brochure next to it. There it was, a collage of all things London. Caroline felt like she was close to another anxiety attack. This wasn't how things were supposed to work. How was she supposed to figure out what she had to change if she was suddenly experiencing things that never happened? She looked around worried. Unless her friends were also on this trip with her, there would be no way of meeting with Bonnie once again.

The water that had been running in the other room finally ceased. She heard footsteps in the bathroom, a shadow paced back and forth, opaquing the light that escaped from under the door. Caroline gripped the bed sheet tighter to her body as the door handle began turning.

Her eyes widened and a smile spread across her face, before her stomach churned in excitement. She couldn't have been more relieved to see the Original standing before her. His hair was damp and parts of his chest and arms glistened with water. He held on to the towel around his waist with one hand, his eyes staring intently into hers.

"I thought you'd still be sleeping," He said, "We had a busy night."

Caroline's breathing stopped for a second, she smiled at him nervously, before looking away. Klaus moved closer to her, his eyes trailing over her facial features. His head tilted to the side before his lips came down to rest on top of hers. The taste of his mouth made her body react with overwhelming hunger. Caroline's lips brushed over his as his hand came up to touch her cheek.

"I love you, Caroline." He whispered, pulling away from her with a smile on his face.

He turned to walk towards the dresser on the other side of the room. The words caught her by surprise, she felt her whole body stiffen in shock. Her eyes roamed around, searching for her phone. She needed to know exactly how much time had passed for him to say something like that to her, with such ease and sense of adoration.

Klaus for his part was busy rummaging through the drawers with one hand. After a few seconds he pulled the towel off his body and threw it over the bed. The blonde's eyes became enlarged and her mouth dropped open. His backside was to her, his muscular legs and perfectly shaped buttocks were no longer just part of her imagination. She lost all ability to think straight, as she watched him dig through the clothes in the drawer. His arms moving around, making his whole body shift and his muscles flex in places she didn't even know muscles existed. Caroline gulped, feeling her body's response at the sight of a naked Klaus in front of her. The pulsating heat between her legs made her feel like she was doing something completely inappropriate but she didn't look away for one second.

The Original finally pulled out a pair of black boxer briefs, turning around and causing an already-aroused Caroline to feel like she was being enveloped in flames. Her center pulsed, causing the moisture between her legs to rapidly increase.

Klaus held on to the boxer briefs in his hand, gazing at the pretty blonde with fascination. "What is it, love? You're acting as if this is the first time you've seen me naked." He teased.

Caroline cleared her throat, speaking to him for the first time, "I'm just not quite used to it yet."

He raised his eyebrows and smirked, "Did I not fulfill you enough last night?"

His question only stimulated the blonde further. She pressed her thighs together, trying to act as nonchalant as possible. The fact that his length was completely exposed and wandering free with every step he took wasn't helping.

"Because I'd be more than happy to take care of that right now." He purred, closing the distance between them and discarding the boxer briefs.

Caroline's hand felt like it was glued to her chest, her clasp on the bed sheet was so strong, her hand was starting to turn pale from lack of blood flow. The Original nipped at her lips, his hand running along her side and snaking his way underneath the white sheet. The blonde felt his warm skin come in contact with her ass, his fingers digging into it like he was kneading dough. She bit down on his lip, a little harder than she had planned. Klaus turned her around at vampire speed, her back crashing against his muscular chest. He kissed her shoulder, trailing his lips over to her neck, his sultry breath invading her ear as his fingers wrapped around her mound. Caroline shivered at his touch.

Her mouth took the shape of an _o_, feeling his fingers slowly parting her sensitive area and applying pressure. She felt like she was melting into him like butter, his touch sending jolts of pleasure to every cell in her being. Caroline writhe against his chest, moaning loudly as he continued to satisfy her throbbing little nub. It was unbelievable how perfectly trained the tip of his fingers were, they knew exactly where to touch and how much pressure to apply to make her whimper in satisfaction.

The Original stopped for a second, taking one of her legs and propping it on the bed. He glided his hand over her milky skin as his other hand took its place on her mound. The blonde had an idea of what was coming, she knew what he intended to do and she was aching with anticipation. She moaned at the feel of his fingers performing circular motions over her center and locked eyes with him as two of the fingers on his other hand gently searched for her opening. Klaus' lips parted and she tilted her head back to allow him access to her mouth. She breathed heavily as she felt his fingers slide inside her. They moved in and out of her slippery walls as his other hand continued to please her. Caroline felt so close to the edge, heaving as she felt the temperature of her body rising. She threw her head back against his shoulder, moaning loudly and cursing as she felt her body stiffen and then finally release her hot fluids all over his fingers.

A huge smile spread across her face as a sense of euphoria took over her. "You're amazing." She muttered, turning around to face him.

Klaus' hands grasped her by the waist, raising her up in the air and laying her down on the mattress. His eyes were fiery with want as his fingers trailed over her thighs underneath the sheet. Caroline felt goosebumps rise on her skin and her heart began pounding in her chest like a motor. He licked his lips, bringing them down to her mouth and immediately used his tongue to pry hers open. She breathed out a hot exhale, allowing him to please her in any way he wanted.

Caroline could feel his length quivering against her inner thighs. His lips pulled away from hers and he rested between her legs, as his hands slowly pulled the bed sheet off her body, opening it up like he was unwrapping a delicate gift. Klaus' fingers ran over her chest with grace, causing her nipples to harden at the touch. She moaned, feeling his hands wrap around her breasts.

"I never get tired of you, sweetheart." He remarked, slowly moving his hands over her arms and grabbing a hold of her hands.

Klaus extended them over her head, bringing the weight of his body to lay on top of hers. Their bare chests pressed together as his lips once again dove into her mouth. Caroline knew that this was it; she was finally going to be his. After all that time of wondering how it would be, she'd have a chance to find out, even if it was part of this crazy time lapse she was experiencing. His lips were busy with hers when the ringing of a phone shattered all her expectations. Klaus hummed against her lips in complaint until finally he parted ways with her mouth.

"We must be running late!" He announced.

The Original jumped off the bed. _Seriously? Is he freaking kidding me right now? _Caroline's inner voice was sorely disappointed by the interruption. The Original walked across the room, his protruding harness becoming quite the sight. Caroline came to a seated position, instinctively covering herself up again with one of the pillows but gazing into his nakedness with pure lust.

"Late for what?" She asked, watching as Klaus searched for his phone.

The ringing suddenly stopped. "Brunch," he replied, "It's already 10:15."

Caroline furrowed her eyebrows, it was like he was speaking gibberish. The Original quickly slipped into his boxers, confirming to her that there'd be no time to finish what they'd started. He returned the missed call and brought the phone up to his ear.

"I'd hop in the shower if I were you, love. You only have about 30 minutes to get ready. The drive is another 30 and we were supposed to be there at 11:00."

The blonde nodded, unable to make sense of anything. She threw the pillow on the bed, making her way to the bathroom completely naked. Her bare feet touched the cold marble floor as her hearing focused on the conversation going on in the other room.

"I know, I know–" Klaus began, unable to finish his sentence before he was interrupted.

"Kol and Elijah are already here. We said eleven, Nik."

Caroline identified her voice in an instant. After so many times she'd try to ruin her life, Rebekah's voice was ingrained in her mind. The blonde turned on the shower, watching the hot vapor fill the room as she stepped inside. In the bedroom she could still hear Klaus talking to his sister. Not much was said except for him apologizing for being late and her complaining about their lack of punctuality.

She pumped shampoo onto her hand, lathering it through her hair as she wondered why they were meeting with Rebekah in the first place. The water hit her skin, the sensation between her legs still very much present. She closed her eyes, trying to assimilate everything that had happened. Caroline still had so many questions that needed answering and it was driving her crazy. She quickly slathered body wash over her, rinsing swiftly and turning the water off. She was drying herself off when Klaus walked into the restroom, completely dressed and donning a charming smile.

"How much longer as we staying here?" She asked, wrapping the towel around her body. Her question wasn't too suspicious and she hoped it would help probe into more information.

Klaus perched his eyebrows. "Are you anxious to see the place already? I told you it was a surprise." He replied.

_The place?_ Caroline smiled, making her way back to the room and searching the closet for clothes to wear. She was astounded to see so many beautiful tops and dresses hanging before her eyes. Something Klaus had said made her think they had indeed taken residence in England. She felt a familiar tightening in her chest as she pulled down a knitted, lavender dress.

Caroline turned to the Original, who by this time had already finished doing his hair and was back in the room with her. "I'm just curious." She admitted.

Klaus took a seat, watching as she changed into the dress and quickly moved back and forth in the room, opening and closing drawers. When she finally found her makeup, she looked back at him and gave him a sheepish grin.

"I know how difficult it was for you to leave our home," he began, "But I promise the renovations will be well worth it. You're going to love it."

At least things were starting to become a bit clearer to the blonde. They lived in England – her heart jumped in her chest – and their home was being renovated. She wondered what had happened to that hunter that had chased them out of New York. Her brow crinkled as she continued applying mascara to her eyelashes.

"I feel safe when I'm with you." She muttered, staring at him through the mirror. "I'm sure I've told you that plenty of times already."

Klaus came to his feet, walking up behind her and staring at her reflection. "I'm glad to know that after fifteen years you still feel the same."

Her expression grew solemn and she turned around with a dazzled look in her eyes. Everything was perfect but no matter how much she wished she could stay in this dreamland forever, Caroline knew she had to get back to where she belonged. Klaus stared down at her, pressing his lips into a gleeful smirk.

"This is so surreal." The blonde said quietly.

Klaus beamed. "On the contrary, it's never been more real, love."

_No. It's not real_. The voice in Caroline's head disagreed, reminding her that this moment was only temporary and that eventually, everything would be gone. This time she didn't even know how long she had until everything disappeared.

"I'm ready to go." She muttered.

The Original nodded, reaching over her shoulder to grab the keys from atop the dresser.

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**This chapter was originally going to be longer but I decided it would be better if I split it into two parts instead. I think you guys will like the next one. Please leave me a quick review and let me know how I did ;) xoxo**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thank you, thank you, thank you for your kind reviews! I'm so happy that you're enjoying the story so far and hopefully stick around for more! Hope you all like this chapter :)**

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**Chapter 12: Family Matters**

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_Fifteen years_. Caroline's brain couldn't wrap around the fact that all that time had passed. It was scary to think that she had no recollection of what those fifteen years entailed. Where was her mom? Where were her friends? What had happened to everyone in Mystic Falls? Were they still there, living a quiet small town life?

"Where's my mother?" She asked, her sad puppy eyes staring at Klaus as he drove them to their destination.

The Original looked at her in dismay but answered her question nonetheless, "We just saw her a couple days ago, love. I'm sure she's doing just fine at home."

She sighed, at least she knew her mother – wherever she was – was alive and safe. The blonde thought it would be too much to ask about anyone else. The most important person on her list was taken care of and that's all that mattered to her at the time. She sat on the passenger seat, dressed in the lavender dress she had picked out from her abundant selection of clothing. A charcoal-colored coat sat atop her shoulders, shielding her from the frigid English air. She eyed Klaus every now and then, completely enthralled by the way he had one hand on the steering wheel and the other against the window of the car. It was the first truly mundane thing she'd ever seen him do and she was quite amused by it. The road was desolate, the city had been left behind and the only thing surrounding them were the hills and pastures of the English countryside. The sun was high above their heads, casting the shortest shadows of the day on everything below.

The blonde looked out the window. Based on the weather outside and the look of the foliage across the fields, she could only assume it was sometime between February and March. The chill of winter was still present but there were early signs of springtime starting to bloom in the patches of field along the paved road. She leaned her head against the glass, feeling the vibrations of the car and listening to the hushed humming of the engine.

"You're awfully quiet today." Klaus said, turning to face her for a second. His smile was endearing.

She lifted up her head, straightening herself up on the seat and tilting her head towards the bewildered Original. Caroline had a feeling he would notice a difference in her, considering she was trying not to give herself away.

"I'm just a little tired." She responded.

Klaus' eyes were back on the road, a lingering smirk making his dimples noticeable. They turned a giant bend, a house becoming visible in the distance. Caroline could only assume that was the place they'd been heading to the whole time.

"You don't even seem excited to see Rebekah. That's usually something you're always looking forward to." He said with raised eyebrows.

Caroline's forehead crinkled. The thought of her and Rebekah actually being friends didn't quite make sense to her. She could only think of all the vile things she had done and how much she just wanted her gone most of the time. She swallowed hard, realizing she'd have to be nice to the Original sister for once.

"Klaus?" She said in an inquisitive tone, "You wouldn't happen to know when was the last time I spoke to my friends, would you?"

The Original looked at her puzzled, "The only one you've actually kept in touch with has been Stefan."

"What about Bonnie?"

"You haven't mentioned her." He said, pursing his lips in confusion.

The house was now only a few yards away. Its size was splendorous and its surroundings resembled that of a fairytale castle. The gate opened in front of them, revealing a beautiful garden as they drove up to the front. Caroline gasped, contemplating some of the flowers that had already started blooming. She rolled down the window, her nose instantly picking up the fresh floral scent.

Klaus pulled up to the front of the house, parking next to a dark green sports car. There were two other cars parked next to it and the blonde could only assume they each belonged to one of the Originals. Klaus was next to her door before she could even open it herself. She smiled, pleased by the fact that he hadn't changed one bit.

The Original looked at his watch, pleased. "Only 30 minutes late."

They walked up to the door. Caroline's hands clasped together, her fingers moving about nervously, unsure of what to expect. Klaus looked down at her, noticing she was acting strange. His mouth parted but before he could question her behavior, the door opened in front of them.

Rebekah twisted her mouth in disapproval as she looked at her brother. She shook her head, narrowing her eyes and producing only a smile and a shrug from Klaus. Her blonde hair was slightly above her shoulders, cut in a cute and sophisticated bob that accentuated her facial features. Her demeanor changed as soon as she looked at Caroline. Her smile was wide enough to reach her eyes and she showed off her pearly whites as she greeted her with a hug. Caroline only felt her arms wrap around her, carefully returning the gesture but completely taken aback by it.

"Everyone's in the dining room. We figured the weather isn't nice enough for us to eat in the patio." She informed them.

Caroline nodded with a smile. Klaus took her by the arm, escorting her inside the home. Her eyes were captivated by her surroundings. If there was one thing she couldn't deny was Rebekah's good taste in home decor.

"Caroline!" She said enthusiastically, stopping dead on her tracks and turning to face them. "Remember that cuckoo clock I'd been wanting forever now?"

The blonde nodded with a smile, widening her eyes as soon as Rebekah turned her back towards her. She had absolutely no idea what she was talking about but went along with it like a pro.

"Well I finally got it! Come, I'll show you."

The trio took a detour into another room of the house. Caroline looked around, catching sight of one of Klaus' paintings on the wall and smiling at him. The room was filled with antiques that were probably worth millions. Rebekah very excitedly pointed them towards the direction of her most recent prized possession. The clock was quite endearing, small and made of the finest wood, with a dial that was lined in silver and gold. Caroline looked at Rebekah, impressed by her affinity for rare treasures. Underneath the dial, Caroline could see the date clearly marked like mileage in a car. _February 28, 2028._

"It's beautiful." Caroline said, relenting a smile.

"Sister, we're starving!" A male voice rang loudly through the house, interrupting Rebekah before she could reply.

Klaus' mouth split into a smirk, "Kol's getting impatient."

"He's been wanting to eat one of the girls since he got here." She said between gritted teeth, annoyed by her brother.

Caroline's eyes widened in horror. Based on that information alone, she knew they wouldn't be eating human food but actual humans instead. Her hand grasped on to Klaus', as the Original gave her a playful smirk.

"We better get to the dining room. We wouldn't want to keep them waiting any longer than we already have." He remarked.

The three headed out of the room and into the dining room area. Rebekah pointed out recently acquired furniture and explained the ordeals she'd gone through to get her hands on them, but Caroline was too busy worrying about having to feed on a human to pay any attention. Male voices were detected in her radar as they reached the dining room, Caroline looked at the awaiting company seated at the table.

"Stefan?" She said loudly, causing everyone to look at her with confusion. Caroline's face lit up at the sight of her friend but she quickly changed her demeanor when she realized everyone was looking at her.

"Surprised to see him or something?" Rebekah said furrowing her eyebrows in bewilderment.

"Um," The blonde had no idea how to respond, she looked at Klaus for some sort of affirmation but her efforts fell flat. "I just wasn't expecting him to be here."

"Why not? I live here." Stefan said, raising his eyebrows and reaching over the table to grab a large pitcher of orange juice.

Everything was making less and less sense to her. A heavy feeling invaded her chest, as she tried to piece the information together. _Stefan and... Rebekah? _She raised an eyebrow, wondering where Elena was and what had happened to Damon. _Were they together now?_ She looked over to the far end of the room, noticing two couples standing by. They appeared to have been compelled, watching idly as everyone else went about their business. Caroline was sure they were there to get fed on.

"So now that everyone's here, we should all sit and have a proper meal." Elijah announced, coming to his feet and tilting his head at Caroline and Rebekah.

Klaus held on to her, his hand gently placed on her lower back as they walked over to the table. He pulled the chair out for her and the blonde took a seat, her mind still reeling from Stefan's revelation. The Original sister sat down next to him, they shared a few warm smiles before she placed her hand on top of his.

"I'm surprised you're even in town." Rebekah said, "Since you and my brother don't seem to stay put for longer than a couple weeks." She smiled at Caroline and the blonde realized she was directing her statements at her.

"We don't travel _all_ the time." Klaus chimed in, rolling his eyes.

"I suppose taking weekly shopping trips to Paris doesn't count as travel for you." Rebekah shrugged, pursing her lips. "You're lucky my brother doesn't mind taking you, unlike Stefan here." She looked at the Salvatore who gave her a playful smirk. "He gets bored just by the mention of shoes."

Something about the way Rebekah talked about Stefan and his reactions to what she was saying made Caroline chuckle. It was the first time she actually laughed or felt comfortable enough to act normal since Klaus and her had gotten there. She cleared her throat as if she was going to speak but was interrupted by two females who brought an array of food to the table. Caroline let out a sigh of relief, eyeing the buttery croissants, pastries and a giant tray of fruit. Another girl brought out their individual plates, topped with poached eggs, sliced sausage, roasted potatoes and slices of ham. A smile crept on Caroline's face, perhaps feeding on humans wasn't part of the menu after all.

"So, what is this family meeting all about?" Klaus asked, taking in a forkful of potatoes. He set his fork down and reached across the table to the pot of hot coffee that rested on a platter. He poured some for Caroline first and then some for himself. The blonde smiled kindly.

Elijah straightened up on his chair, it was obvious he had been the one who arranged the meeting. He took the white napkin off his lap and lightly tapped the corners of his mouth. Caroline poured some creamer into her cup, stirring the coffee and paying close attention to the oldest Original. Even Kol who didn't seem to have any kind of regard for authority seemed to become tame in the presence of his older brother.

"We're thinking of going back to Mystic Falls." Elijah informed them.

Caroline nibbled on her food, taking small bits of it with her fork. She watched as Klaus eyed everyone around him, as if asking if they were okay with this plan. Rebekah looked at Stefan, elegantly chewing food in her mouth as the Salvatore poured more juice into his glass.

"What's in Mystic Falls that we need to go back?" Klaus asked, making it obvious that the news hadn't been well received.

"The key to our demise, apparently." Kol interrupted with his mouth full.

"Shut up, Kol." Rebekah said, giving him a death stare.

"It's true." He countered, swallowing his food and his words coming out clearer than before, "This new group of vampires think they've found a way to get rid of us without killing themselves in the process."

Caroline had stopped eating, she had her hands clasped together and her chin resting on top of them. Her eyes spelled out dread but the fact that Klaus seemed so fearless, gave her a sense of safety and calmness.

"Why hadn't anyone told me anything?" Klaus asked, frustrated by the news.

"You're here, aren't you?" Stefan said, speaking to Klaus in a way that Caroline was sure would get his neck snapped – except, it didn't happen.

The Original growled under his breath, placing his hand on Caroline's leg. The blonde looked over at him feeling a hint of electricity running through her body. "I knew we should've burned that god-forsaken town to the ground before we left." He muttered.

"You know there's always been a constant fight for power within our kind, Niklaus." Elijah spoke eloquently, "They think the answer to getting rid of our family lies in Mystic Falls." The corners of his eyes quivered.

"We are at the top of the food chain. We shouldn't be surprised at the amount of enemies we have out there." Rebekah said, picking a grape from the fruit tray in the middle of the table. "They all want to take our place."

Everyone had set their forks down, Kol's wild eyes roamed around the table as if waiting for the right word to let loose. Caroline looked at Stefan, who was narrowing his eyes at something on his plate – odds were he was trying to come up with some kind of plan. The blonde moved her hand underneath the table, touching the top of Klaus' fingers as the Original gave her a reassuring smile.

"When do we leave?" Klaus asked.

The rest of the Originals eyed each other, but it was Stefan who spoke. "Tomorrow."

"What's going to happen to everyone in town?" Caroline finally broke her silence. Her voice was shaky and her face displayed worry. The Originals laughed, making her feel like she was slowly shrinking into nothingness atop her chair.

"There's no one in that town left." Rebekah replied.

"Not anyone you would care about anyway." Stefan agreed. "Most of the residents have been turned and the only population of humans seem to be reserved for food."

They looked at her, their smiles slowly receding into a more solemn look. "Are you feeling okay?" Kol asked, narrowing his eyes to study her face.

Caroline nodded, still not understanding what exactly had happened to the rest of her friends. It was as if Elijah was reading her mind because he provided her with an explanation. "If you need a refresher, about twelve years ago the town _was_ almost burned to the ground–"

"Although, not by us!" Rebekah clarified. "It was another case of vampires trying to exude power over our allies."

"And all the people we knew eventually scattered to other parts of the country." Stefan concluded.

Caroline perched her eyebrows, the relief evident in the exhale she released. "You don't look so well, love." Klaus pointed out, looking into her eyes.

Kol stood up from his chair, walking around the table and heading to the humans who were still standing on the other side of the room. "Maybe she just needs a little drink to clear her head."

They all stood up from the table, Stefan's eyes turned dark and his mouth twisted in a devious smile as he took Rebekah's hand. It was happening, they were all about to partake in some kind of blood fest ritual and there was nothing she could say or do to stop it. Klaus grabbed her arm, helping her from her chair as he raised an eyebrow at her, smiling coyly and licking his lips. The blonde swallowed hard, the last time she drank straight from the vein, was when she was a baby vampire with no control over her bloodlust. She knew she wouldn't be able to stop herself and the guilt of killing another human being would be devastating. She shook her head as Klaus took a hold of one of the girls' arm.

"You love doing this." He asserted, pulling the girl in their direction.

Caroline was petrified, so not only was this a normal thing for her, apparently she _loved_ doing it too. "I don't know if I can..." She spoke softly.

Everyone else was already gorging themselves on blood. Stefan and Rebekah seemed to be engaged in quite the erotic feeding session with one of the humans. While Elijah drank from one of the women and Kol ravaged through the other poor man's neck. Caroline wasn't sure how to feel about it. One side of her was revolted and the other was pushing her to sink her teeth into the girl's arm. She felt the thirst intensify at the sound of the blood running through her veins. Her mouth was beginning to water but she was afraid to lose control.

"I don't want to kill her." The blonde admitted, looking up at Klaus for comfort.

"You've never killed a single one." He stated, "It was at your request that we started feeding them our blood afterwards to speed up their healing process before letting them go. Don't you remember?"

"My request?" She muttered.

The Original nodded. "Come on, love. It will make you feel better. I promise."

The blonde took a hold of the girl's wrist, watching as Klaus plunged his fangs into her shoulder and the blood trailed down the girl's arm. She felt the veins under her eyes move under her skin, the smell of fresh blood inciting her thirst even more. Caroline let out a low growl, biting into the girl's flesh and feeling the hot, zesty blood touch her lips. Her eyes turned dark, slurping at the iron-flavored liquid and relishing in the taste. She felt invigorated with every swallow, feeling the blood run down her throat and slowly appeasing her hunger.

She let go, watching as Klaus wiped his mouth, licking the excess blood off his fingers. Caroline felt like she was high on something potent. She ran her tongue over her lips, before completely letting go of the girl's arm.

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At the insistence of Rebekah, they had agreed to spend the night. Caroline knew this meant their earlier tryst would never be completed and yet the thought of everything else that had happened that day made it okay. She never imagined the Originals could be so _fun_. After finalizing their plans to take a quick trip to Mystic Falls the following day, Rebekah had convinced all of them that they needed to do something to get their minds off of their latest problem.

Caroline smiled, as she rested on the bed, remembering the things they had done that day. Kol had fallen off a horse after racing with Elijah across the fields of Rebekah and Stefan's enormous backyard. Even referring to it as a backyard made Caroline laugh, they basically owned acres and acres of land in all directions. Rebekah had been very sweet to her, so much that Caroline actually believed that they had a wonderful and honest friendship.

Watching her with Stefan was a bit odd. The blonde had always had this idea in her head that Elena and him would one day overcome their issues and live happily ever after. Then again, she never imagined she'd end up with Klaus and look where she was now. The thing was, Stefan was living happily, it just happened to be with someone other than Elena. Caroline couldn't take offense to this, especially after seeing how much the Original sister actually cared about him. She could tell they really loved each other and that brought her great satisfaction.

"Did you have a good time today?" Klaus asked, walking over to the bed and peeling off his clothes.

Caroline's eyes twinkled at the sight, "Amazing." She stated, watching as the layers of clothes came off.

He gave her a flirtatious stare, "We can be dead silent if you want. They wouldn't hear a thing."

The blonde's mouth dropped open. "You're crazy! I would never–"

"We have before." He interjected, "Or was that only because you had a little too much to drink that night?"

Caroline looked at him surprised by the account of her own actions. "Wow." Her cheeks turned bright pink.

The Original slipped under the covers, his warmth coming in contact with her. "We do have to go back to the hotel tomorrow before leaving for Mystic Falls and I won't let you get away so easily." He warned playfully.

She smiled, taking a deep breath and realizing tomorrow would probably never come. She knew she would close her eyes and open them to a different reality. Her blonde waves fell over her face as she rested her head on his chest. She wrapped her arm around him, holding on to him tightly as if afraid to let go. Caroline felt his chest rise and fall, as she closed her eyes, saddened by the fact that everything would be gone when she opened them again.

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**Please take a quick few seconds to review :) **

**I do want you guys to know that I've been super busy with work lately, so updates aren't going to be coming as often as I'd like. While I won't take forever, I will have to start publishing once every other week from now on. Sorry! If you have any questions, PM me, shoot me a message on Tumblr (lostinmysticfalls) or follow me on Twitter (lostinmysticfls). If you follow me, let me know who you are so I can follow you back! :) **


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello! Just bringing you guys a quick update before the TVD finale! I don't know how some of you will react to this chapter but I felt like it was necessary. Caroline still needs a little "extra push" when it comes to Klaus :)**

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**Chapter 13: Normal Life**

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The person looking back at her had all the characteristics of the Caroline Forbes she remembered, but there was something different about her face. Caroline blinked a couple times, noticing how the tiny creases at the corner of her eyes sprung back into place, like elastic trying to return to its original shape. Her hair was just below her shoulders, locks of blonde curled up and pinned on one side, as long bangs fell over the other side of her face. The was noise around her and yet all she could do was focus on her reflection. She brought a hand up to her mouth, tracing her lips with her fingertips and gently running them over the small lines that formed at the corners of her mouth.

Her eyes looked tired, like she hadn't slept in days. The sparkle that they had once exuded was barely hanging on, like a dying candle against a ceaseless wind. There were dark circles under he eyes, barely visible but still there, noticeable to her. She finally took note of her attire, a form fitting, navy blue business suit – like she was ready to head to a secretarial interview. Caroline twisted her mouth in disgust at the grandma-looking outfit. How had this even happened? There was no way she would've ever been caught dead wearing something like that.

"Mrs. Lockwood." A mousy, young female voice rang in her ears as she continued to examine herself. "Mrs. Lockwood." The girl said again, holding on to a tall stack of deep cyan tablecloths, and looking flushed.

Caroline finally looked up, her eyes wide as her eyebrows furrowed. She looked at the girl confused, searching around the room for Carol Lockwood. She shook her head, noticing the girl was looking at her strangely.

"I'm sorry, you're looking for Mrs. Lockwood. I'm not exactly sure where she is." The blonde informed her.

The girl chuckled and then bit down on her lip, embarrassed. She straightened herself up and looked at her almost scared of her reaction. "Mr. Lockwood said to come find you, that you would tell me how to arrange the tablecloths."

Caroline felt her heart sink to her stomach. Her breathing suddenly became rhythmic heaving as she searched the room for something to sit on. She felt her knees weaken, a feeling she was not accustomed to. The girl followed her across the hall and into the living room as the blonde took a seat in front of the fireplace. Her mind was racing, trying to make sense of what she was saying. Deep down she knew, and yet she tried to come up with other explanations.

"Where should I put–"

"They're tablecloths, they don't need any special arrangement." Caroline interrupted, placing her hand over her forehead and leaning against the sofa. "Just put them over the tables, like usual."

The girl merely nodded before dashing out the room. Caroline looked down at her left hand, a single-stone diamond ring sat over a slim gold band. Her eyes began to water, blurring her vision for a second before the tears finally slid down her face. She chuckled – laughing at her own misfortune – and shook her head, noticing the portraits that sat atop the stone chimney. She stood up, pacing towards them slowly. There they were, framed memories of her wedding day with Tyler, sitting in a perfect row next to pictures of the wedding party.

"I'm Mrs. Lockwood." She whispered quietly, feeling a knot forming in her throat and finally admitting to herself what she'd been fearing. She breathed deeply, letting it all sink in and wishing that this were one of those times where everything inexplicably disappeared before her eyes.

There was one more thing she also knew, but was unwilling to accept it until she tested it out herself. She hurried to the kitchen, the personnel eyeing her with curiosity as she entered. Caroline didn't say a thing, she eyed a knife sitting on the counter and quickly slipped her hand passed it, making it seem like an accident. Blood streamed from her finger as she began to feel it pulsating at the tip.

One of the cooks promptly brought her a kitchen towel. "Mrs. Lockwood, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Caroline replied, applying pressure to her finger. "And stop calling me Mrs. Lockwood! My name's Caroline." She stepped out of the kitchen, trying to run as fast as she could out of the mansion.

Outdoors, she was greeted with the buzzing of people organizing a big event. The tablecloths had been set, just as she had asked. Vases with flowers sat on the center of each and two men were working on putting up a banner over an arch made of roses. She removed the towel from her finger, an aching sensation was still present and the wound wasn't looking any better. _Human_, she though, lamenting her current state. She squinted her eyes, reading the words on the banner that was now hung.

"Welcome to the Annual Miss Mystic Falls Pageant." She muttered.

"Your favorite day of the year!" A rough, deep voice came from behind her.

Caroline turned around, noticing Tyler coming towards her, dressed in a black suit and tie. His hair was a bit longer, combed to the side and peppered with gray on the sides. They were the same age, and yet he looked much older than her. You could tell the years had been tougher on him.

"Tyler." She barely got the name out.

"How's everything looking? I'm sure you have everything under control, but one can never be too sure." He mused, staring out into the enormous patio.

Caroline looked out into the distance, taking in the beautiful view and catching sight of the large pond that adorned the backyard of the Lockwood residence. The bench she had once shared with Klaus, now sat there by itself, lonely, and forgotten. It reminded Caroline of herself, lost and alone in a human world she didn't want to be a part of.

"I–" Her mouth felt dry, and she cleared her throat before continuing. "I would like to have a word with you."

"About what?" He asked, staring intently at the girl who earlier had sasked her about the tablecloths.

Caroline noticed his eyes wander without a hint of shame. "Tyler." She said sternly, "We need to talk."

"Look, Caroline. Today is one of those days where I'm extremely busy. As mayor of Mystic Falls, I need to make sure everything is perfect. The people of this town are counting on me _and _you to bring them yet another year of vampire-free celebrations."

"I just–"

He cut her off. "You wanted to incorporate a ball to the festivities, we incorporated a stupid ball. Now, why don't you go ahead and perform your duties properly instead of coming to me to complain about another thing, yet again?"

Caroline was angry. She felt her rage boiling inside her at his words. How dare he treat her like his personal assistant instead of his wife. She realized that when Tyler looked at her, all he saw was a fixer – someone who did things to please him without asking much in return.

"Well, I'm getting tired of the duties. Maybe I just need a vacation." She countered.

"A vacation, of course. You want to go to New York again and blow all my money on the latest runwayclothing? Let me just remind you that I got a week-long migraine after our little _vacation _the last time we were there." He said, clenching his jaw.

Caroline didn't know if she should laugh or cry. What a difference this reality was to what she had just lived not too long ago. This wasn't even a reality she wanted to ever imagine, this was a nightmare. Was she really supposed to believe that she had settled for this type of life? What was so special about being married to Tyler Lockwood, that had kept her from seeking something else outside of Mystic Falls? She tried hard to search for the answers within herself, but it was impossible. This Caroline wasn't even a fraction of the confident, independent vampire she knew she really was inside. Human Caroline was too submissive, too easily controlled, and she hated it.

She heard Tyler chuckle, "And tired? You've loved doing this, ever since we married. You've been organizing this whole thing for 20 years and it's never been a problem for you."

"We've been married 20 years." Caroline muttered under her breathe.

"No, we've been married 18 years. But it sure feels like 20." He corrected her.

"What?"

Tyler looked at her annoyed, "Are you feeling okay? Don't tell me you forgot that we've been human for 20 years now and that we got married only a couple years after that piece of shit left town."

Caroline knew exactly who he was referring to and she didn't appreciate the derogatory term one bit. "Don't call him that!"

"You're going to defend him now? After everything we went through because of him? What's happening to you, Caroline? Is old age making you compassionate towards that asshole?" He raised his voice, making the vein on his forehead visible. The people around them pretended not to notice, continuing to work as if everything was fine.

"He wasn't all bad." She said in a low voice, walking away from him, sure that he would follow. Her thoughts drifted to Klaus and all the amazing days she'd recently lived with him. She felt a sense of nostalgia take over her as her heart palpitated quickly just remembering his touch.

"To you, maybe. And only because he wanted to get in your pants. Are you going to tell me now that he actually did, is this what all this talk is leading to?" He asked, trailing after her as they made their way back inside the house.

Caroline rolled her eyes and continued walking to the only room she was somewhat familiar with – the living room. She crossed her arms over her chest, "What happened to you, Tyler? You used to be fun, you used to love spending time with me and making me laugh."

"I grew up." He said flat out.

The blonde smiled, "And that's why we aren't right for each other. My version of growing up and yours are completely different. I've always known that, deep down."

"And what do you plan to do now? Divorce me? You don't know how to do anything, Caroline. All you've ever known is what is between the boundaries of Mystic Falls. You'd never survive one day on your own out there. It's a pity you're no longer a vampire, isn't it?"

"I can always go back to being one."

He laughed, "And live as a 37-year-old for the rest of eternity? You'd be miserable."

"Not as miserable as I am now." She countered with confidence.

He stopped himself from escalating the argument further. He took a deep breathe and his features softened as he tilted his head to one side. "Sweetheart, why don't we just calm down. We both know exactly how this discussion will end." He said calmly.

_Sweetheart?_ That wasn't a word fit for his tongue. No one could ever call her that, no one but _him_. It sounded foreign coming from anybody else and she hated that Tyler was now trying to use to it to make peace with her.

"Since when is _sweetheart_ part of your vocabulary?" Caroline asked.

"Since you told me you liked hearing it." He replied, raising an eyebrow and walking closer to her.

Caroline couldn't believe what he was saying. It had been her ridiculous idea all along, why would she even do such a thing? She found it in herself to realize the answer. It wasn't impossible for the Caroline whose reality she was now living, to deep down have unresolved feelings for Klaus. She knew herself very well, and there had always been a part of her that yearned for his attention. It wasn't surprising to know that even after Klaus left town, she still wished to have some kind of reminder of him. Even if that meant hearing Tyler taint that word with his mouth.

"I don't like it anymore. As a matter of fact, I despise it! So, don't ever call me that again." She demanded.

Tyler stepped forward, bringing his hand up to her cheek and lighting brushing his fingers against her skin. Caroline pulled away, as if repelled by a strong force. She narrowed her eyes, watching him smile and searching for the old Tyler she used to know.

"Fine. I won't call you that again. Now, can you please go out there and finish prepping everything for the event?" He said casually. "We'll make up in the bedroom, later tonight."

Caroline twisted her mouth. "You're planning on fixing this with sex?"

"Isn't that what we always do?" He countered. "It's worked so well all this time."

Caroline felt sick. She couldn't understand how she'd let Tyler manipulate her so easily into doing what he wanted. If being human meant going back to being weak, and desperate to please a man, she didn't want any of it. This kind of life wasn't for her. She wouldn't allow herself to grow old and die in the same place she'd been born.

"I need to get back to work now." She muttered, walking away from him before he could say another word.

The blonde walked outside, eyeing her perimeter and noticing that nobody was paying attention to her. They were all busy following hers and Tyler's orders, apparently. She looked at her watch, eager for the day to end but finding out that it had only just begun. She waited a few minutes until she made sure Tyler had left the house. Her feet moved swiftly back inside, ruffling through drawers on the upstairs bedrooms, until she located the car keys. Caroline held them tightly in her hand, planning her next move. With any luck, Bonnie was still living in Mystic Falls.

* * *

The house looked exactly how she remembered it, aside from a few minor maintenance needs. Caroline stepped out of the car, feeling the warmth of the afternoon sun beaming down on her. It felt like old times and at the same time it was almost unfamiliar. She only knocked once before Bonnie opened the door. The witch raised an eyebrow, surprised by the visit. The Bennett home hadn't changed one bit, but the same couldn't be said of her friend. Her hair fell over her shoulders in thick auburn curls and only tiny signs of aging showed on her face. She could tell Bonnie was having a much easier life than her – that, or doing some kind of witchy thing to keep herself looking young.

"Hi, Caroline." She smiled, giving her a welcoming hug. "Aren't you supposed to be organizing a Ball tonight?" She asked, inviting her inside.

Caroline stepped into the home. Her eyes surveying the place. "I bailed." She admitted with a grin.

Bonnie chuckled. "I thought planning events was your thing." They took a seat on opposite chairs in the living room. "You've been so busy with Mayoral duties ever since you married Tyler that you sort of forgot we existed."

Caroline looked at the ground sheepishly, "I've been a horrible friend, haven't I? I'm sorry, Bon."

"No, don't be. I understand." She waved her off. "So tell me, how is everything?"

Caroline was there for only one thing. She needed to know why all of this was happening, she was tired of going from one time to another, especially so erratically. But first, she had to find out how she had ended up being human. "I need to ask you something and I need you to answer without questioning me further." Bonnie nodded, crinkling her forehead at the odd request. "What happened to Klaus after we all became human?"

The witch opened her mouth, ready to do exactly what Caroline had asked her not to do. The blonde raised her eyebrows, reminding her with just a single look not to ask any questions. Bonnie twisted her mouth, acknowledging her. "He fled town after the cure was shoved down his throat."

"Who did it?" She pressed further.

"Caroline–"

"Who did it, Bonnie?"

"You did."

Caroline gasped, a feeling of wooziness taking over her whole being. "What?" She muttered, trying to assimilate the fact that she had been the traitor who had backstabbed him in the end.

"You had no other choice, Caroline. I know you feel guilty about it from time to time, but it was the best thing for everyone. Look how wonderful everything's turned out to be! And, best thing of all... no more Klaus to deal with." She placed her hands on her lap, leaning forward on the chair and eyeing her with curiosity.

"I tricked him like I did so many other times. He trusted me, didn't he?"

"He would've backstabbed you to save himself, if he would've had the chance." She countered.

Caroline knew that wasn't true. No matter how angry Klaus ever was with her, he never did much to cause her any sort of harm. And yet, she probably didn't even think twice before tricking him into taking the cure. "What about Rebekah and Elijah?"

"Why does it matter? They're all gone."

"Please listen to me very carefully. I don't have much time, Tyler probably already noticed I'm gone." Caroline warned, taking a deep breath before divulging the whole story again.

As expected, Bonnie was completely taken aback by her accounts. It was impossible for her to comprehend that all the years that had passed, hadn't really happened — not for Caroline anyway. The blonde mentioned the wishing well and their previous conversations in other times, watching as the witch's eyes got wider and wider with each revelation.

"I don't know what to say." Bonnie muttered.

Caroline twisted her mouth. "Why do you think it's happening this way? Why am I seeing things that haven't happened yet."

Bonnie had a blank stare. "I can't believe I'm going along with this." She hummed, "Maybe you need an extra push. Maybe there's something you haven't fully admitted to yourself." She scoffed, as if her reasoning was a bunch of bullshit.

"What?" Caroline asked, wondering why she was acting so skeptical.

"Did you even hear what I just said? I'm basically agreeing that this is really happening to you. I'm accepting the fact that the past twenty years of my life never happened."

Caroline felt guilty for making Bonnie feel uneasy. Perhaps they had happened, just not for her. Still, who else was she supposed to go to for answers? "If you were in my shoes, what would you do?"

Bonnie exhaled loudly, "You said you made a wish to get you here – or wherever you've been. Try repeating a similar wish, or a phrase. I really don't know what else to suggest, Caroline." She was visibly frustrated.

"Like a magic word or something?"

"I guess." Bonnie sounded uncertain, this was not the help Caroline had been hoping for.

"I know this is selfish, but I want to go back to the time I was a vampire. I'm tired of the time loops. Try to understand me a bit." The blonde pleaded.

"Why? Look around you. The Originals seem to have fallen off the face of the Earth. Everyone's lives are so much simpler since you all became human."

_Too simple_, Caroline thought. "This isn't me. I'm not meant to be a housewife who happily awaits the next set of orders from her husband." The blonde looked out the window. "There's so much more for me away from this town. I know there is."

Bonnie eyed her suspiciously. "What are you talking about? You're the same Caroline I've always known."

"Isn't my misery obvious to you?"

"Care, I think you might need help. Just not the type you think, all this talk about time loops and different lives–"

"I hate this, Bonnie! I don't want to be human. I don't want to be with Tyler!" Caroline's tears fell from her eyes, forming streams down her cheeks, as she began to sob. It was no use, now her friend thought she was crazy and making the whole thing up.

Bonnie looked at her with sad eyes, coming to sit by her side and putting her arms around her. The witch had encountered many problems before, but Caroline saying she didn't want to be with Tyler had stumped her. "Has Tyler done something to you?" She muttered against her hair.

Caroline lifted her head up, wiping her tears away with her hands. She shook her head, "No."

Bonnie raised her eyebrows questioningly. "Are you just unhappy with him then?"

"I don't love him." The blonde admitted, her eyes still wet but her voice perfectly calm. "I–" She hesitated, running a hand through her hair. "I have feelings for someone else."

Bonnie's eyes became giant spheres. "What? Who?"

"Does it matter?" She replied.

"Yes!" Her friend shot back, "I want to know who this mysterious man is and why you've been keeping it a secret from me and everyone else."

The blonde thought about it for a few seconds. She knew Bonnie would hate the answer. But she relented anyway — she had nothing to lose. "Klaus." His name came out of her lips in a low hum.

Bonnie came to her feet. "Klaus?" She moved her hands around, unable to grasp the idea. "Is this a joke?"

Caroline pressed her lips together, slightly crinkling her forehead as she shook her head again. "I know it sounds crazy but it's true, Bonnie."

"Caroline, Klaus has been gone for almost two decade. How did this even happen?" She looked at her confused and feeling extremely uncomfortable with her confession. "He's become nothing more than a scary bedtime story in these parts of town."

The blonde looked at her in silence, feeling like a child who was being reprimanded by her parent. "I'm not supposed to be here. This isn't supposed to be happening."

"Caroline, you need to stop with the time travel crap. You're really starting to freak me out."

"This isn't real, Bonnie! I know it's not real and even then, I can't just pretend like everything is fine. I can't pretend to love Tyler, when I feel indifferent towards him." Her words were making no sense to the witch, but in her heart Caroline knew she was right. "I just want to be with Klaus. No one else."

To her surprise, those were the last words she spoke before Bonnie and her surroundings became a giant white blur that quickly dissipated into nothingness.

* * *

**Please leave me a quick review, I'd really appreciate it! And thank you so much for reading :) xoxo**


	14. Chapter 14

**Here's the newest update! :) Some of you thought Caroline was done time traveling but there's one more thing she has to do first! Hope you guys enjoy. Once again, thank you so much for the reviews. I'm blown away by the response. Love you to pieces! **

* * *

**Chapter 14: Before the Destruction**

* * *

Caroline focused her eyes on the sky above, the snow was falling sparingly and the peering sunshine that seeped from behind the dark clouds made the fluffy snow on the ground glisten like millions of tiny diamonds. The sound of Christmas music filled her ears as little snow flurries fell over her eyes, producing a cooling sensation at the touch and melting almost instantaneously. She looked around, finding herself standing in the middle of the Mystic Falls Square, and noticing the giant Christmas tree that sat only a few feet away from her. There were kids playing in the snow and giant lit candy canes adorning the pathways. Hundreds of lights illuminated the area and festive colors lined the streets. The blonde smiled, giggling to herself and placing her hand over her mouth when she realized what day it was. She looked down at her beautiful ivory dress and touched the hair piece attached to one side of her hair. It wasn't present time, but Caroline felt like she was getting closer to where she had to be and this made her ecstatic.

She wanted to twirl around with joy for being back to a familiar time and place. This was the closest she'd been to having things back to normal and it filled her with immense hope and expectations. The music echoed in her ears, reminding her of everything that had happened that day, and then a chill creeped up her back at the thought of the slaughter that would take place later that night. She looked up at the sky again, noticing the sun was slowly moving closer to the horizon. In the blink of an eye, the street lights around her, automatically turned on, alerting her even further that night was getting near. A gentle breeze swayed her dress from one side to the other and she felt her cellphone begin to buzz in her hand. She looked down at it, unaware until that point, that she had been holding it the whole time.

_Everything is running as planned. Make sure Klaus is at the cellar precisely at 9 p.m. so Bonnie can do the spell._

It was Tyler, checking up on her to make sure she was still in on the plan. Caroline remembered this text message clearly from that night. Her next move was to lure Klaus back to the Lockwood cellar in order for Bonnie to perform yet another desiccation spell. However, just like last time, Caroline wouldn't be going through with the plan. This time, she wasn't going to tell Klaus the truth in order to keep things from going south and avoid putting Tyler's life in danger – she was going to do it for completely different reasons. There was no way she was going to plot against him after everything they'd been through. Just thinking about it caused her chest to tighten. Caroline knew that her actions would probably trigger the same results – the hybrids would die one way or another. No matter what reason was prompting her to tell Klaus about Tyler's plan, the Original wouldn't be taking the news lightly. She knew him too well, he could be kind and sweet when it came to her, but his enemies received no mercy. She turned around swiftly, eager to march her way to the Mikaelson mansion and tell him everything she knew. Her mind was so preoccupied that she jumped in surprise at the sight of the younger Salvatore before her.

"We can't let Tyler do this. We need Klaus." Stefan said, without even bothering to greet her. He seemed tense, worried, _desperate_ to stop Tyler's plan from coming to fruition.

Caroline nodded, a faint smile appearing on her face. "I'm not going through with it Stefan. And it's not because I want to find the cure but I do have my own reasons."

The Salvatore raised an eyebrow, "And what might those reasons be?" He asked, placing his hands in his pockets and looking around the Square as if monitoring the place.

The blonde pursed her lips and took in a deep breath. "Just some unfinished business I have with Klaus." She muttered, gently smiling at him.

Stefan clenched his jaw, brooding and looking concerned as he searched the Square for a familiar face. Caroline knew who he was looking for – things between him and Elena had gone from bad to worse after everyone found out about the sire bond. She smiled, remembering her visit to a future time when Stefan would be oh-so-happy with a certain blonde Original. Caroline was aware that what she saw wasn't necessarily what would happen, but it proved to her that Stefan could find happiness with someone other than Elena.

"Don't lose yourself in it, Stefan. If she comes around, she comes around. If she doesn't, then maybe it just wan't meant to be." She muttered.

The Salvatore was perplexed, "_You _are suggesting I move on? _You_, who once said – and I quote – _you and her, epic_."

"I'm just suggesting you go easy on it, don't let it consume you." She clarified.

Stefan smiled, taking her advice to heart. The blonde looked at her phone, noticing it was already close to 6 o'clock. "Got somewhere you need to be?" He asked.

Caroline nodded. "Have I ever mentioned how unbelievably happy I am to not be human?" She asked, catching him off guard. It was a completely unrelated comment but Stefan figured that coming from Caroline, it really wasn't _that _strange. She raised her eyebrows, smiling from ear to ear before speeding off in the opposite direction.

* * *

It was already dusk by the time she got to the Mikaelson mansion. The silence and the calmness in the air was eerie, compared to the cheery feel of the town square. Caroline's heart began racing at the thought of seeing Klaus again, they were in good standing up to this day and yet they were in even _better _terms from her point of view. Having to fake not feeling completely taken by him and treating him merely as an acquaintance was going to prove difficult. After all, Caroline knew way too much about their life together and experiences that had yet come to pass. She pressed the doorbell and peered in through the glass adorning the door.

A dark, tall figure made his way towards her and she felt a tug at her stomach as her nose picked up his familiar scent. It enveloped her in dreams and sequences she wished she could relive and hoped she would never forget. The door popped open. He looked at her with curious eyes as a small smirk crept on his perfectly chiseled face.

"Caroline. To what do I owe the pleasure?" His accent was blanketed with that innate warm seduction he possessed. She was just coming to realize how much she truly missed it. It was taking more than vampire strength self-control to refrain from throwing herself into his arms and telling him how much she longed to see him. "You look stunning, I might add." He said before inviting her inside.

"Thank you." She bit down on her lip, "I need to speak with you."

Klaus closed the door behind them, making her wish they could just stay there forever and never leave again. He began walking and she trailed close behind, following him to his study. "I thought you were busy with the Winter Wonderland festivities tonight. Wasn't I supposed to meet you there?" He smiled flirtatiously, his lips parting just enough to produce a tense-filled reaction from the blonde.

"Change of plans." Caroline replied, staring at him in a hypnotized state. His eyes were always filled with so much wonder when he looked at her, it was impossible not to get drawn in.

"Would you like a drink?" He asked, slowly pacing back to his liquor cabinet and pulling out a bottle of bourbon.

Caroline nodded lightly. "You have to promise me you'll remain calm, when you hear what I have to say." She eyed the time again.

Klaus paused for a second after pouring the first glass. He stared intently at her and continued on to the second. When he was done, he returned with the drinks, handing her one.

"What's this all about?"

"Do you promise or not?" She said again.

Klaus huffed, relenting a smile at her childish request. "Fine."

The blonde took a sip of her drink, trying to remain serene. "Tyler and the hybrids are planning to take you out tonight."

He set his drink down on the side table, and began pacing towards her with questioning eyes. "Tell me everything you know." He growled.

"You promised to remain calm!" She reminded him, setting her drink down and coming to her feet.

The Original was losing his patience. All he wanted was for her to be completely honest with him. "I'm waiting, Caroline." He replied.

She closed the distance between them, staring at him and studying his reaction. "That's why I asked you to meet me tonight. I'm supposed to take you to the Lockwood cellar, where Bonnie will perform the desiccation spell again."

"Why?" His eyes narrowed, "After everything I've done for you all! After all the help I've provided, why must you insist on getting the upper hand even when it's not necessary? Do you enjoy having me as your enemy?" He was angry, and rightfully so.

Caroline shook her head, remaining calm and trying to use a sweet, melodic tone. "Of course not. Why do you think I'm here now?" There was a flicker of suspicion in Klaus' eyes and Caroline began denying his assumptions even before he spoke them out loud. "I'm trying to help you." She assured him.

"You're trying to help _him_ and your friends. You don't care what happens to me, you've been playing me for a fool this whole time, making me believe you two were apart only to plot against my back." He said sternly.

"Don't do this Klaus. Don't pretend like all I ever do is hurt you, when you've done that to me so many times before." Her voice rang high as she inched closer to him. "And you're wrong," she scoffed, "I do care about you. I care so much that I'm willing to betray my friends to save your life!"

Klaus' eyes glazed over at the sound of her words. "You're lying to me."

"Why are you so stubborn?" She raised her voice, slamming her hands against his hard chest and pushing him away. "Have you not been listening to everything I've just said? I care about you, you idiot!"

Klaus held on to her hands before she could make contact with him again. "I'm supposed to believe that your feelings for me just magically changed from one day to another? You care about me now?" He laughed, "You're only here to ask for one thing, so why don't you just ask? Beg me not to kill your precious Tyler Lockwood."

"I don't need to ask you for that. You know very well that I would never forgive you, if you ever killed any of my friends." She muttered.

"Then why are you telling me all this, if not to save his life?"

"I already told you. I care too damn much to see you get hurt. It's the only truth I have, take it or leave it." She turned her back to him. "You have no idea what I've been through. My perception of you," she paused, "My _feelings_ for you have never been so clear." She felt him getting closer to her, his body grazing up against her back. His breathing was calmer.

"Then prove it." He hummed against her ear. His fingers slid down her arms, his touch setting ablaze those feelings she'd been trying to keep hidden. "I'll forget all of this ever happened, if you agree to come with me. I'll even give you a few minutes to think it through." Caroline turned around to face him, finding herself all alone and wondering where he had disappeared to.

She smiled, wanting nothing more than to run away with him and never look back. What's the worst thing that could happen? As soon as day broke, she'd be faced with yet another fraction of time. If they could be happy even for just a few hours, she'd take that chance in a heartbeat. Klaus returned soon after, gallantly strolling towards her with a faint smile on his face.

"I'll come with you." She announced. "When do we leave?"

A devious smirk spread over his lips. "Tonight. But first, I have some hybrids that need to be taught a lesson."

Her eyes widened in fright. "Klaus–"

"Don't worry, I'll go easy on him." He rapidly approached her, leaning into her ear in a seductive manner. His warm skin caressed her cheek as he spoke. "I'm sorry love, but I can't risk you getting in the way of my plan."

Caroline felt the sharp pain of the needle puncturing the side of her neck, as the vervain seeped into her bloodstream, scorching its way into her system. Her eyes grew increasingly heavy.

"It's for your own good." He said, his voice sounding like a distant fading echo, before everything went black.

* * *

Caroline woke up still feeling a little dazed and with a burning sensation on her neck. Her eyes adjusted on the moving shadows of the trees outside the car window. Everything was moving fast, sifting past her like a blur. She turned to Klaus, who was seated in the driver's side of the vehicle.

"You vervained me!" She accused him, causing him to smirk sheepishly.

"I told you it was for your own good, sweetheart."

She opened her mouth to argue, and yet the sound of that word coming from his lips, made her forget about everything for a second. "So what am I, your hostage now?" She blurted out.

"Do you see any restraints?" He turned his gaze down to her clasped hands on her lap, his eyes lingering on her smooth, milky legs for a few seconds. "You agreed to come with me, I didn't take you against your will." He replied.

Caroline leaned back into the seat, "You _vervained_ me against my will." She muttered.

"Because you would've found a way to warn your little boyfriend somehow." He turned to her, raising an eyebrow as if he was making the correct assumption.

"First of all, he's not my boyfriend!" She said, running a finger over the fogged up portion of the window. "It wouldn't be right to be with someone I'm not in love with." She gulped, staring at the fogged up glass she had just been playing with.

Klaus turned to her again, his face clearly questioning what she meant. The car began to decelerate before coming to a complete stop. There was darkness all around them except for the portion of the road ahead of them that was illuminated by the car's headlights. The air became still again, the sound crickets emerging from the shadows. Caroline could hear her heart pounding against her chest and her cheeks lit up, wondering if Klaus could hear it too.

"I believe you have some explaining to do." He said quietly.

"We're in the middle of nowhere, stopped on the side of the road, and you want me to explain things to you right now?" She questioned him, finally turning to face him.

Klaus looked at her without speaking. The corner of his mouth lifted into a light smirk as he nodded. Caroline had an idea of what to do but it was easier said that done. His fiery eyes were quickly unraveling her and any form of coherence was becoming lost. She raised an eyebrow, licking her lips and returning a very similar smirk. The silence continued to build, until she pushed herself up on the seat, pulling her clip from her hair and allowing her locks to fall freely over her shoulders. Klaus watched her in silence as she un-clicked her seatbelt and maneuvered her way over to him.

His heart began pounding with anticipation, "What are you doing?" He asked as she struggled to accommodate herself between him and the steering wheel.

She pulled her dress higher up her thighs to allow herself to straddle him more comfortably. Caroline could feel his heartbeat raging against his chest. His eyes moved up and down her body, and she took a hold of his hands to position them right below her hips.

"Why waste time explaining, when I can just do this?" She murmured, brushing her lips against his.

The need she had to taste his mouth once again, consumed her. She bit down on his lower lip, savoring every bit as she ran her hands over the sides of his face. Everything about it felt right. There was no guilt, no regret – Caroline knew this is where she belonged all along. Their warm breath came in pauses, as they continued relishing in each other's lips. Klaus made an attempt to speak, but was quickly hushed by the eager blonde. She had been missing him so much, there was no way in hell she was going to let him stop her. A low groan escaped her throat at the feel of his mouth running over her neck, and she enjoyed the way his scruff lightly scraped over her skin. His fingers traced imaginary lines down her back as his tongue darted in and out of her mouth blissfully. She smiled at him, with her face in close proximity to his.

"I've missed you." She purred, trying to get herself out of her clothes.

Klaus' eyes were dark with passion, he watched her as she slipped out of her dress. His gaze roamed over her perfect curves as he breathed out without saying a word. He closed his eyes, scrunching up his face in an adorable fashion.

"What is it?" Caroline asked, running her hand through his hair.

"How is this happening? How is any of this real?" He asked.

It was as if he had sounded off an alarm. Caroline knew it wasn't, but who was she to tell him that? They had wanted this all along and yet time was once again screwing with them both. "I don't know how to explain it, but I've seen what my life would be like if I were with you." She smiled, placing another wet kiss over his delicious lips. "I want you, Klaus."

The Original responded to her words, wildly sliding his hands over her bare skin and eventually unclipping the back of her bra. There was a pause, he stared intently into her eyes as if waiting for her to stop him – but she never did. He let it fall slowly, parting his lips at the sight of her perky, round breasts. Caroline moaned in anticipation, longing to have his mouth on her body. His hands wrapped around them, causing her to arch her back, just enough to set off the car's horn. They both laughed, and her giggle quickly turned to whimpers of pleasure when his lips made contact with her sensitive skin. The hardness between his legs was now at its peak. She could feel it between her inner thighs, causing her to pulse with want.

Klaus stopped once again, looking up at her heavenly form. "What changed?"

Caroline took a deep breath. "I did." She smiled, "I realized that I'm the happiest when I'm with you."

In that moment, she felt a hot radiating pressure take over her chest. She could feel it expanding, taking over her at a rapid rate. "Klaus," she muttered, watching as the darkness that surrounded them closed in on them. It was as if they were getting devoured by blackness. "Klaus!" She screamed this time, trying to hold on to him but it was too late. "I love you!"

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**Reviews are very much appreciated and loved. Thanks! xoxo**


	15. Chapter 15

**I'm sorry for taking so long to update, you guys! I have been so, so busy with work. I'll try not to let so much time go by between now and the next chapter, I promise! **

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**Chapter 15: Reality**

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Caroline regained consciousness, her eyes still shut. She heard crickets and leaves rustling near by. A desolate owl's hoot brought the forest to life as she opened her eyes, she was resting on the ground, looking straight up. The canopy of trees was high above her, the sky hidden behind the thickness of its foliage. It was night, she could feel it in the air. The predators were starting to make their way out to hunt, while the prey sought refuge in the crevices of the forest floor. Her hands were stretched out at her sides, she remained motionless, only clenching on to the grass and leaves under her palms. It was cold and wet, and her eyes widened like saucers when she realized where she was. Her heart began pounding faster, as she pushed herself up to a seated position. She looked down at her chest, the blue pendant still hanging from her neck. It was glowing brighter than before, the blinding incandescent light caused her to squint and look away.

"I'm back." She murmured quietly as she held on to it with her hand. A sigh of relief left her body but the reality of the situation was still setting in.

Every single memory of her time away flashed before her eyes, she could clearly hear Klaus' words, see his every expression, and her body became fueled by intense feelings of nostalgia. No matter how unbelievable it came across, everything had been real – at least to her. She looked around the forest and came to her feet, as Bonnie's voice broke through the night sounds. Caroline looked in that direction, inching herself closer as the voice grew louder. She could hear Bonnie running between the trees, crunching twigs and stepping on snow puddles as she approached her.

"Caroline!" She yelled, her form finally becoming visible in the darkness. "I got it! I'm sure I can locate that sword!"

The blonde was speechless. She didn't give a rat's ass about the locator spell or finding the sword and the stupid cure. Her mouth opened slightly, unable to make out a word. Bonnie's mouth continued moving but Caroline's hearing was only focused on one thing – the last words she had told Klaus before everything disappeared before her eyes. None of it had been a dream, she was certain of that – certain of what she felt. She thought that maybe she was experiencing shock, after all, traveling through time couldn't have gone without any repercussions. The sound of Bonnie's voice finally came through again, and the blonde found it in her to focus her attention on her friend.

"Caroline, did you hear what I said? I can lo–"

"I need to go." She blurted out, checking her phone for the time. The date underneath it only confirmed that she was indeed back in present time. A smile spread across her face and then quickly dissipated when she realized it was getting late. She couldn't risk losing Klaus for real this time.

"What?" Bonnie looked at her bewildered. "We need to find that sword, it's the only way to get to the cure."

Caroline groaned. "Look, Bonnie. I don't care about the sword. I don't even care about the cure. Trust me, being human is a nightmare I'm not willing to relive."

She began walking away in a swift manner before Bonnie caught a hold of her arm. "What's wrong with you?"

Caroline smile. "Nothing. Actually, I don't think I've ever felt better."

The witch crinkled her forehead. "A few hours ago, you were determined to find that cure. I know you don't want to be human again but I told you I would find a loophole. I promise, I _will_ find a way for it to only work on Klaus and Elena."

_A few hours ago_. Caroline felt like laughing, it had been days for her – years even. It sounded absurd and utterly impossible but it had happened. She knew her friends would never understand how she went from plotting against Klaus to loving him in a matter of hours, but Caroline knew the truth. "You can't use it on Klaus, Bonnie." Her eyes were worrisome, "I don't want to hurt him." She admitted.

Bonnie shook her head, unable to accept what she was saying. "Elena isn't herself right now and you know that. I don't know where these sudden feelings of guilt came from, but we're going to find that cure." She turned her back to her, "With or without you."

"Argh!" Caroline placed her hands on her head, running her fingers through her hair. "Fine, you want to know what's wrong? You want to know what happened to me while I laid unconscious on the floor?"

Bonnie turned around, "What are you talking about?"

Caroline looked around, searching for the magic wishing well but not seeing anything but the forest floor in its place. She pointed in the exact spot where it had been, "There! That's where I found the well. I thought it would be a good idea to make a wish, so I did. But then instead of my day just going well and perfect, I lost consciousness and woke up in my bed – the exact day Klaus was supposed to leave town." She only paused to take a breathe, "From there I kept jumping around from one day to another and got stuck in a stupid time loop, only it wasn't stupid it was pretty amazing actually, and you were there! You were there, and I tried explaining everything to you but you couldn't help. You said I had to come to a realization. And I did! But only after going back and forth in time and–" Caroline stopped, not sure if telling Bonnie that she had fallen in love with Klaus was a good idea.

"Wait, Caroline, you're not making any sense. How were you able to do all that in a matter of hours?" She asked.

"You tell me! You're the one with magic!" Caroline countered, "All I know is that the wishing well that was there earlier isn't there anymore. How do you explain that?"

Bonnie looked over at the spot, walking closer to it and placing her hands over it as if feeling for something. "There's definitely _something _here." She said, "I can feel its energy, it's very powerful."

"Why can't we see it?" Caroline asked.

The witch shrugged, "This place has indescribable magic. Maybe it only appears when someone is in need of it." Her eyes were questioning but Caroline knew she believed her outlandish account.

"Bonnie, I can make Klaus stay in town. But please, hold off on that locator spell." She begged. "You can't turn him human just yet." She crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for the witch's response.

"You already tried to convince him and it was useless." She replied dubiously.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Please! It will work this time." She tapped her foot on the ground, "Just a couple days."

"A couple days?" Bonnie's voice grew louder, "We can't afford to lose a couple days, what if Elena completely loses it?"

Caroline's frustration was becoming evident. She had no intention of convincing Klaus to help them find the cure. All she needed was time to explain everything to him and look for a way out of this situation. "Elena has been doing just fine with Damon's help." The witch shot her a disapproving look, "A couple of days won't be a problem. I swear." She gave a sweet, innocent smirk.

The witch contemplated her words for a few minutes before finally agreeing to her request. Caroline's smile split across her face and she checked her time again, noticing it was already 8 p.m. "I have to go, now."

Bonnie had barely nodded as Caroline began her sprint across the forest. She laughed out loud like a crazy person, looking up at the trees as they became less and less cluttered. She knew lying to her friends would cost her, but she wasn't willing to let them hurt Klaus, not this time around. They had to devise a plan to get rid of that sword, but first she had to convince him that her feelings for him were real. She grinned once again, making it out of the forest and into a clearing leading to the road. Getting to the Mikaelson mansion would only take her a few minutes, if she moved as fast as she could. The trees on either side of the road were a blur, but the sky above was as clear as ever. The stars shining brightly, no sign of a cloud in sight. The only thing lighting her path was the radiant white moon above her head. The wind brushed against her face and her locks twirled in the air. Caroline felt free.

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The trip on foot had been an easy one, although the minutes had been rapidly consumed no matter how fast she tried to get there. The mansion looked desolate and her chest began to tighten at the thought of him being gone. She refused to relive those feelings of abandonment once again. They had been too painful, to the point of being almost unbearable. A light came on in the room upstairs, shining through the window and igniting the blonde's hope. Caroline smiled, making her way closer to the house. She pressed the doorbell and followed it with knocking on the door, the sound of her fist hitting the wood went in cadence with her heartbeat. After only a few seconds the door flung open, taking her by surprise — his time she hadn't seen Klaus coming.

He narrowed his eyes at her, lifting one eyebrow and licking his lips before speaking. "I already told you I'm not going to help you with the cure." He said, assuming she was there to beg him once again.

Caroline took him in, her heart responding with delight to his presence. She hadn't been lying when she told him she loved him, except he was completely oblivious to it now and something about that made her heart ache. He had one hand on the door and the other on the doorframe, his necklaces dangling from his neck as he eyed her inquisitively. The jacket that he wore rose up above his hips, exposing the belt that kept his jeans in place. He looked better than she remembered, he was truly a sight for sore eyes. All the feelings she'd experienced being by his side came at her like an earth-shattering avalanche. Her heart raced, remembering his lips on hers and the way they moved to mold onto the curves of her body. She could feel his hands on her skin, and smell his intoxicating scent — everything about him enveloped her and she wished he knew exactly how she felt about him. She wished he had experienced it all with her, so she could just run into his arms and finally savor a true moment of happiness with him.

"Caroline," He said, starting to get a little concerned with her lack of response. "I hope you're not here to ask for my help again."

The blonde finally snapped out of her daydream. "I know you're angry with me. I know I lied to you and I'm so sorry for everything I've done. You have no idea how much I regret doing you wrong." She spoke softly, "But I'm not here to ask for your help. I just need you to hear me out." Klaus stared at her, trying to decide whether or not to believe her again. "Can I come in?" She noticed his hesitation, "Look at me! I'm all alone, what can I possibly do to you?"

"Trust me, you've done plenty on your own." He muttered, opening the door for her to come inside.

Caroline turned to him, watching as he shut the door and admiring his backside. She felt like a lascivious teenager but after having every single one of their moments interrupted, she felt her actions were justified. The Original walked towards her, a very faint smirk appearing on his lips. This caused the blonde to smile — she had been waiting for some kind of sign that told her he wasn't as angry with her as he was pretending to be. She followed him to his study again, taking a good look at the way he walked and not feeling one bit ashamed.

As soon as she walked in, she was received by a sight she wasn't expecting. A young girl — probably in her early twenties — was seated on the sofa where Caroline usually made herself at home. She stood at the entrance, staring at the blonde who was now in her place. She shot a look at Klaus, narrowing her eyes slightly as if hinting at something.

"What?" He asked, with a light shrug. He turned to the girl in the sofa, smiling at her and tilting his head in a flirty manner.

Caroline grunted under her breath and took a couple steps inside the room. "Who's this?" She asked, twisting her mouth in foul response at the sight of the beautiful girl. She knew exactly what she was feeling — jealousy.

"Kayla." The girl replied, with furrowed eyebrows. "And I know we don't know each other, but you're being kind of rude."

Caroline raised an eyebrow, her mouth dropping open at the girl's response. She turned to Klaus, completely omitting a reply. "No compulsion? Wow." She said with sarcasm. She continued her stroll towards the Original, who was standing next to the minibar in the study. He looked at her with a serious demeanor, not knowing exactly what the pretty blonde was getting at. "How quickly you've found a replacement." Caroline hissed, looking up at him defiantly.

"Drop the act, sweetheart. You're not fooling anyone." His words stung more than she'd expected.

"Tell her to leave." She ordered, turning back to the provocatively-dressed girl sitting behind them.

"You can't just waltz into my house and start giving orders. It _is_ rude to feel so entitled." Klaus leaned closer to her face, whispering the words and allowing his warm breath to caress her face.

Caroline turned around, taking another look at the girl and noticing that she hadn't moved or repositioned herself since she got there. She turned to the Original once again, "She is compelled. What did you say to her? Sit and don't move?"

Klaus responded with slight smile. "I wanted some company, is that so bad?"

"_Company_." She repeated dryly.

"I won't _eat_ her." He paused, a devious smile spreading across his face. "Well, I suppose that could take a completely different connotation, said in different circumstances." Klaus licked his lips suggestively, causing her to twist her mouth in disapproval. "So, let me rephrased that — I won't _kill_ her."

"You're disgusting." The blonde replied, a glint of jealousy showing in her eyes. Technically she _was_ disgusted — disgusted that he'd think of doing such a thing to a complete stranger when he had always showed so much interest in her.

Caroline turned around and made her way back to the girl. "Leave." She commanded, pointing towards the door. But the girl didn't move, she only raised her eyebrows and smiled. Caroline could tell she was internally laughing at her and this made her angry. "I said, leave!" She tried compelling her, but she couldn't override Klaus' compulsion just like that.

The Original finally chuckled, knowing very well that the blonde wasn't going to give up any time soon. "Thanks Layla. You can go home now." The young girl stood up immediately, making her way to the door without saying a peep.

Caroline ran her hand over her hair, exhaling loudly before taking a seat on the sofa. She watched Klaus pace towards his liquor cabinet. She smirked, knowing the bottle of bourbon was coming out any second now. He didn't even ask her if she wanted a drink, instead he poured one for her and brought it over. Her eyes were glued to him, it was a horrible feeling wanting to act on her feelings and not being able to. _Is this what Klaus feels like around me? _She questioned herself, wondering if the Original had ever thought of just taking her then and there. She gulped, blushing a bit at the thought. The bourbon washed down her throat, warm and refreshing all at once. _This has to be what it feels like for him_. Caroline thought once again, knowing that Klaus had feelings for her that he thought were unreciprocated. _How does he do it? All I want to do is–_

Klaus interrupted her dirty thoughts. "You're acting a little strange since you got here." He took a seat next to her.

She took another swig of bourbon, "It's been a very, _very _long day." A smile appeared on her face and the Original had no other choice but to smile right back at her.

Caroline finally took a look around, noticing there were boxes everywhere. She got up from her seat, browsing through the room and realizing he was packing everything for his move to who-knows-where. His desk was still untouched, however, pieces of papers with unfinished drawings were scattered all over. "As you can see, I'm a little busy." He announced, "So I would appreciate it if you told me why you're here."

The blonde glanced at him, a bit offended by his crassness. "So you're too busy for me but not for _Layla_." She said her name in a childish tone, causing the Original to roll his eyes. "And why the hell are you leaving?"

He chuckled, coming to his feet. "Your question can't be serious." He tilted the glass towards her, "You know exactly why I'm leaving. I'm done with this town." There was a slight pause and he looked at her straight in the eye. "And I'm a done with you, Caroline." He admitted, a sadness to his tone.

Caroline felt a knot forming in her throat. That was the last thing she wanted to hear from him. _She_ wasn't done with _him_ — she hadn't even started. "You don't mean that." She muttered.

"You do realize you've tried to kill me–" he paused, trying to count the number of attempts.

"I get it! I've conspired against you. Guilty as charged!" She said, before he had a chance to speak, "But you have done so many horrible things as well."

"I've never hurt you!" He countered, "I would never dream of hurting you, Caroline."

The blonde bit down on her lip, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Then don't leave me."

The Original's eyes widened, he placed his drink down on the side table and slowly made his way to her. His head tilted to the side, "What are you saying?"

"If you leave, you _will_ hurt me." Her voice was low, "Stay."

Klaus scoffed, "I don't know what kind of mind games you're playing right now but I don't like them." He picked up his drink again and downed it before coming to stand before her. "Are you trying to seduce me into helping you find the cure?" His breath smelled of bourbon, and even then, the blonde felt herself drawn to him like a magnet.

She tilted her head upwards, "No." She whispered, "I'm _just_ trying to seduce you." Her hands held on to the lapels of his jacket and she pulled him in towards her, crashing her mouth into his. Caroline was done pretending, her feelings were the only thing she was sure of and she wanted Klaus to know. The kiss caught him by surprise, but there was a war brewing between his heart and his head. He wanted it to be real, he wanted the pretty little blonde to be doing this without a motive and yet his insecurities were getting the best of him.

He pulled away, taking a hold of her face and contemplating her expression. Caroline's eyes were drowning in want and he could see it, clear as day. "Why now?" He asked.

"Just kiss me, Klaus." She hummed, her mouth hovering over his. Her sweet, warm breath was too much for him to resist. His head was winning, and not the one he was hoping for.

He took a hold of her, her legs wrapping tightly around his hips. The electricity exuding from their bodies, blanketed them in a sea of warmth. He pushed her against the wall, making the picture frames still hanging on it, tilt and fall to the ground. His lips never ceased their exploration of hers, and she felt herself imploding at the feel of his hands over the curves of her behind. Caroline's stomach was fluttering and her center pulsating at the taste of his lips. She smiled against them, her happiness overcoming her. Her back was still pressed against the cold, hard wall, as Klaus' body pinned her against it. Her chest burst with joy, knowing this was all real — every bit of it. And then she began feeling something strange, a hunger she'd never felt before. She could hear Klaus' heart thumping hard, carrying his blood to every organ in his body. It was a familiar feeling, like the one she had experienced as a new vampire — a thirst that needed to be quench. She stared at Klaus, his face expressing the confusion she was experiencing.

"You have no idea how much I wanted this." The blonde admitted, not feeling the least bit embarrassed and forgetting about the strange occurrence. "I have so much to tell you." She whispered, leaning her forehead against his and pecking at his lips.

"Do you know how much I want to tear your clothes off, throw you in my bed and ravish you to the point that your tongue gets tired of screaming my name?" He hummed against her mouth between kisses. "And yet, no matter how much I want to give in and take you, taste every inch of your skin, I can't." He stopped kissing her, restraining himself from going further. After a few moments, she placed her feet back on the ground.

"Why not?" She asked, running a hand through her hair as she looked at him coquettishly. It was all in the open now, Klaus knew she desired him but Caroline was aware of the questions still lingering in his mind.

"Why the change of heart?" He asked suspiciously, taking the freedom to stroke her cheek with the back of his hand — hoping against all hope that she truly desired him and it wasn't a scheme.

Caroline closed her eyes, basking in the feeling. "You're gonna want to be seated for this." She warned him.

He looked at her amused, but did as she asked and took a seat on the sofa. "I'm listening."

Caroline sat next to him. "This morning, Bonnie and I went to this place — a forest — so she could work on her magic. She wanted to be able to perform a locator spell, so we could find the hunter's sword." Klaus remained silent, narrowing his eyes. "We figured, if we had that, we didn't really need you to comply with our request to help us with the cure."

The blonde cleared her throat and chuckled, before continuing. "While we were there, I found this water well. And of course, it should come as no surprise that I would want to mess around and make a wish or whatever." Klaus smirked. "So I wished that I would make choices that would only lead me to happiness." There was long pause.

"That's it?" Klaus asked.

Caroline shook her head. "The wish sort of had consequences. I found myself reliving moments in time that I thought had been lost forever." She took a hold of his hand, "Moments I had with you."

The Original raised his eyebrows. "Why?"

"Bonnie said I had to come to some sort of realization. At first I thought I knew what I wanted and what would make me happy, but reliving all those things only made me realize that I had a chance at happiness standing right before me and I was letting it slip between my fingers." Klaus was speechless. "You make me happy, Klaus. And I know it's really difficult to assimilate because of everything that's happened. But even though what I relived wasn't _real_, what I felt was. It still is."

He looked away in confusion, a nervous chuckle escaping his lips. "I just don't understand how your feelings for me changed so radically. You can see why I'm having a hard time accepting this."

Caroline nodded, "Yes, of course. But I know that what I feel is real, no matter how difficult it is for you to comprehend. Besides, it's not necessarily that my feelings _changed_, it's more that I was finally able to accept them."

Klaus was having a hard time not only accepting what she was saying but also believing any of it was true. "How do you know that what you feel is real? How do you know you didn't just fall for a version of myself that doesn't really exist?"

She shook her head. "It does exist. I've seen it, Klaus."

The room became filled with a heavy silence. Klaus pondered everything she had just said, his mind constantly reminding him of the various plots she had been a part of in an effort to destroy him. Just a day before, his life had once again been threatened by those she held dear and close to her heart. How could he possibly trust her so blindly? He loved her, that much was true. But telling her that would only give her one more weapon to destroy him in the end. He knew that deep down she would never be able to forgive him for everything he'd done. Caroline stared at her hands, remembering how different things had been in another time and wishing there was something she could do to make him believe in her words.

"There's another thing you need to know." She began, "The cure only works if the originator of the bloodline takes it. Meaning, you would have to become human in order to turn your whole bloodline."

His face turned to that of concern and it was as if a switch had been flipped inside of him. "There's only one reason why your friends would want me to be human again." He paced away from her.

"To kill you." She mumbled.

Klaus looked at her, a glint in his eye that caused an uneasy feeling to go down Caroline's spine. She shook her head, ready to protest his next move, but before she was able to do anything, he was already behind her. His arms wrapped around her body, pressing her back against his chest as he leaned into her ear. He knew his irrational behavior and impulsive nature would be his downfall, and yet there was nothing he could do to prevent it. Klaus was used to lashing out when he felt threatened and this was exactly the position he felt he was in.

"I need to find the cure. And you're coming with me." He declared, holding onto her with brute force. "You will be my leverage if any of them tries to stop me."

"Klaus–" She began but he cut her off almost immediately.

"What? Is this the version of myself that you despise? Am I disappointing you already, sweetheart?" His mouth ghosted over her lips.

"You're hurting me." Caroline muttered, looking down at his hands. Klaus' arms released some of the pressure. "And you're also being irrational and stubborn."

"You didn't really expect me to believe your words and that story about falling in love with me while you time travelled, did you?" He held on to her a little tighter, the smell of her hair obstructing his thoughts. "For all I know, you're probably here for the cure. But we're going to do things my way, love. You and I are going to take a little road trip, whether you like it or not." He said in a threatening tone.

"It wouldn't be the first time you kidnap me." She grumbled. His hands were still firmly wrapped around her and she listened to his breathing as she struggled with figuring out if she felt angry and annoyed, or extremely turned on. Either way, this evening had turned out completely different to what she had imagined. Klaus didn't automatically fall for her words this time around and yet she felt like she was melting like butter between his fingers.

"We're going to find that cure and then I'm going to destroy it. And if you or any of your friends tries to stop me, I'm gonna have to kill you."

His words sounded menacing but his eyes failed to confirm what he was saying. He might not have intentionally lied, but he was sure lying to himself. "You won't hurt me." Caroline replied with an air of confidence.

He grabbed her by the arm and turned her around, his eyes burning into hers with desperation. "How can you be so sure?"

Caroline brought her hand up to his face, his eyes following it cautiously. She gently stroked the side of his face and smiled. "Because you couldn't possibly go on living, knowing that you killed the person you love."

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**I'd very much appreciate a quick review! Thank you lots! xoxo**


	16. Chapter 16

**Thank you, thank you, thank you to all the readers that have stuck with this story since the beginning and also to the new ones who found it interesting enough to add to your alerts. I can't believe the wonderful feedback I've received so far :) I really appreciate it. Here's another chapter for you all! Hope you enjoy :)**

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**Chapter 16: Buried Treasure**

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Caroline followed Klaus from one room to the next as he gathered what he thought would be necessary for their impromptu road trip. She grew tired of pacing back and forth in silence and finally took a seat atop his bed, when they arrived at his bedroom for the third time that night. Unfortunately, neither of those times had been for them to kiss and makeup. The Original stopped what he was doing and turned to look at her. He held a key in his hand, narrowing his eyes as he stared her down with the type of tranquility that made her want to scream.

"So you're just going to ignore it? You're not even going to admit that what I said is true?" Her blonde waves fell to the side of her face as she let herself plummet back onto the bed, her body slightly sinking into the memory foam mattress. Caroline was pleased by how comfortable it was, wishing for a moment she had one of those at home.

"I don't have time to sit and engage in a therapy session with you, Caroline. In case you have forgotten, there is still something out there that is a threat to my life." He informed her, rummaging through a nearby bookcase and throwing its contents on the ground. There was a safe hidden behind the books and Klaus began turning the dial in a meticulous manner.

The blonde only turned her head, stretching her arms across the bed and catching a hint of his scent on the covers. She closed her eyes as flashes of a previous moment in time entered her mind. The sheets felt so familiar but tonight they were cold — unwelcoming and distant, just like him. She opened her eyes once again, "I know it's true. You won't kill me, let alone hurt me." Her voice was passive, a tiny sigh accompanying her words.

Klaus let go of the dial, pursing his lips and contemplating her words before continuing his task. Caroline noticed his hesitation and smiled, aware that she had succeeded at getting under his skin. The clicking of the safe's dial only brought on more memories. It ticked, the way some of Rebekah's antique clocks did that day she arrived at the Mikaelson's home in London. "Do you have a home in England?" She asked with sincere curiosity.

The Original stopped once again. "Caroline, I'm trying to concentrate on opening this safe."

She pushed herself up on her forearms, her feet dangling from the bed as she tilted her head towards him. "Do you even know how to open a safe?"

"Of course I know how to open a safe. And yes, I do have a home in England. As a matter of fact, I have places all over the world." He retorted, with a shake of the head.

"Hmmm. Well, then maybe you should've picked an easier combination. You know, one that you would actually remember." She had just finished speaking when the safe popped open. Klaus turned, raising an eyebrow and giving her one of his signature smirks. The blonde rolled her eyes and fell back onto the bed again, smiling at the confirmation that there was indeed a home in England.

Her eyes were fixated on the plain, white ceiling above, when she felt his presence at the foot of the bed. His jeans brushed against her calves, causing a rippling current to travel up her body. Caroline perched herself up once again, swallowing nervously as he positioned himself between her legs. Klaus had that dark look in his eyes, the one he got whenever he was thinking of devious, dirty things. The corner of his mouth lifted up in a suggestive half smile. Her heart was thumping erratically as her eyes swept over him from head to — just below the waist.

"Now I just need one more thing, sweetheart." He said in a low, gravelly voice.

Caroline felt her stomach turn with excitement and roaring anxiety. "What?" She asked in a minute whisper.

He leaned over her, placing his hands on each side and slightly making her sink further into the bed. Her heart was threatening to climb up her throat at the feel of his body hovering over hers but she managed to remain calm, even though her insides were in turmoil. Klaus moved his face closer to hers — his lips gently brushing against her ear. "You're lying right on top of it."

Caroline's eyes widened and she could've sworn her heart paused its beating in confusion. She looked at him, crinkling her forehead. "I don't under–"

"I need you to get off the bed." A treacherous smile spread across his face and she realized then that he was only toying with her.

Her face grew solemn as she clenched her jaw and pushed him off the bed, causing him to roll over and almost hit the floor. He knew exactly what he was doing and she knew he had enjoyed her reaction. Klaus came to his feet, dusting off his jacket. "What? Did you think that I was trying to–" He paused, pointing at each other like he had no idea what he had led her to believe.

"You're a jerk." Caroline muttered, moving to the other side of the room next to the bookcase.

She heard Klaus chuckle under his breath as he proceeded to move the bed. He lifted the giant rug from underneath it, revealing a secret compartment. He pulled the key he had been holding out of his pocked and unlocked the metal door. She watched in astonishment as he disappeared under the floor. Caroline thought of closing it and moving the bed back in its place, just to get him back for messing with her, but before she decided to act, he returned with sword in hand.

"Nice little hideout you got going on." She commented, trying to sound sarcastic but in reality feeling quite impressed.

Klaus didn't say anything but handed her the sword, which she took as a sign of the smidgen of trust he still had in her. He moved the bed back to its place and once he was finished asked for the sword back. "Now, to find the location of that map."

"And how exactly is a sword going to tell you the location? Is there some kind of Elvish writing that will appear on the blade?" She joked. Klaus furrowed his eyebrows, not quite understanding what she was saying. "Lord of the Rings." She explained before quickly giving up, "Never mind, forget it."

"Alright." He began, "You see all these symbols on the handle and how it turns like a compass?" Caroline leaned in, looking into his blue and green irises for a second before she nodded.

She took the liberty to move the handle with her finger, watching as the symbols began changing, but everything seemed alien to her. "Again, how does this tell you the location?"

Klaus smiled, feeling an air of superiority at the fact that he knew something she had great interest in. He replied to her, but not in a language she was used to hearing, and watched as her pools of blue turned into beautiful giant spheres and her lips parted in awe. "What does that mean?" She asked, eager to learn more.

"I said: I know Aramaic, it shouldn't be too difficult to decipher." He replied.

Caroline smiled, "Wow. Impressive." Her forehead crinkled and then she asked the next most obvious question, "And you've never looked for the cure before, because..."

"Because I never had a use for it _and_ I didn't have the sword. But now that I know what you're planning to do with it–"

"I'm not–"

"You are, until proven otherwise." He reaffirmed.

Caroline crossed her arms over her chest. "Fine, then let me prove it to you. Where do I start?"

Klaus smirked, contemplating her offer. "After all this is done and over with, and I successfully destroy the cure without any interference from you or your friends–" He paused, "Perhaps then, I'll accept that as proof of your honesty."

The blonde huffed in frustration, "How did this even happen? In what world am I the one who has to prove herself worthy of _your _trust?" She complained. "You are the most stubborn and mistrusting person I know." He looked at her with a take-it-or-leave-it attitude. "Fine." She relented, pursing her lips.

Klaus continued messing with the sword and Caroline watched carefully as he jotted down in a piece of paper what the cryptex was relaying to him. "How do you know which way to turn it?"

He looked up at her, "My sister's old flame told me a little something about it back in the day. And unlike a safe combination, I actually remember which way and how many times to turn _this_ dial." He smirked.

Caroline smiled and walked over to the window, watching as the night had fallen upon them, turning everything outside into masses of darkness that were only visible to keen eyes. Hers were fixated on the moving trees across the courtyard when she caught a reflection of herself in the glass. She touched her hair with her fingers and then looked down at her clothing. Even though her whole time traveling ordeal had occurred in the span of hours, she felt like she had been in the same clothes for months.

"The good news is that I have three possible locations for the map, the bad news is that they're not specific and it could take a while to search for it." He said sternly.

"What are they?" She asked, still running her fingers through the ends of her hair.

"Alaska, Kansas, and Florida."

Caroline looked at him intrigued. "Florida?" She asked, pacing back to his side. She wasn't sure if it rang a bell because it reminded her of his encounter with him or because she was really onto something. "You mentioned Florida before."

Klaus set the sword on the bed and paced closer to her. "What do you mean?" His eyes flickered with curiosity.

The blonde sighed, aware that he was probably tired of hearing about her misadventures in time travel. But there had to be a reason why that particular moment stood out. "I know you think I'm lying about the time warp thing, but during one of those times, you told me that we had travelled to Jacksonville and that we weren't able to stay there for long because a hunter had caught up with us."

He scrutinized her face very carefully, still unsure if that was in fact the location they were searching for. "So we're going on a hunch."

"There has to be a reason why that was the first location we apparently travelled to and why the hunter was so determined to stop us from settling in. What if he was trying to hide something? To protect it." Her words sounded downright mad but something told her she was right.

Klaus nodded, "We have to check Florida anyway, why not start in Jacksonville?" He took a hold of her arm, pulling her towards the door, intent on taking off right then.

Caroline stopped before they stepped out of the room. "Wait!" He looked at her impatiently, "Can I at least shower first?"

He stared at her for a few seconds, "You're serious."

She nodded, "It'll be really quick. I'd love to go home and grab some clothes but I'm sure that would shatter my attempt at trying to gain your trust, correct?"

Klaus smiled. "Sorry love, that won't be possible. But I'm sure Rebekah has plenty of clothes that she doesn't wear. Feel free to take whatever you want."

"And suffer the wrath of your temperamental sister? No, thank you." She grinned unenthusiastically. "She might still be daggered in a box but I'd rather not take my chances."

"Then I'll buy you something on the road." He quickly offered, and Caroline noticed the regret in his face as he felt like he was somehow doing something wrong by trying to please her.

She removed her jacket and paced towards the bathroom, walking slowly and calculating each step before turning around with a sly smile on her face. "Could you unzip me?" Her words caused the Original to tilt his head, "Please?"

He hesitated at first, but made his way to her, not taking his eyes off her for a second. She lifted up her golden locks, feeling his fingers linger over the zipper of her dress and slowly pulling it down. Caroline could hear him breathing with uneasiness. "Am I making you nervous?" She asked softly.

"Don't be ridiculous." He asserted. And perhaps it was his reply or the way in which his words were delivered but Caroline felt like she was being shot down for the millionth time and she wasn't going to take this rejection so passively. She quickly slipped out of her dress and turned to face him.

Klaus' lips parted — his tongue delicately running over them as he viewed her in her undergarments. She approached him carefully, cocking her head to the side and running her hand down his chest. "Stop being such a child, Klaus. I know what you really want." Caroline stopped for a quick second, "Better yet, I can _feel it_." She smiled seductively, pressing herself against him just enough to prove she was right. The Original remained still, feeling the growing bulge between his legs pulsate at her words. Caroline turned back around and walked into the bathroom, removing her bra in the process as Klaus watched her from behind. She shut the door before he could see anything else. Their little exchange was enough to merit him a cold shower, and that's exactly what he did.

* * *

Caroline watched as the trees swept past them at fast speed. It was now past midnight and by this rate, she calculated that they'd be arriving in Jacksonville just after dawn. Klaus was driving three times over the speed limit and there was no stopping him. Her hair was still damp and she opted to wear the same dress she had arrived in, not comfortable with raiding Rebekah's closet. She pulled her cellphone out of her jacket, noticing immediately that it was completely drained of battery.

"It's been over an hour and you haven't said a word. Are you giving me the silent treatment after my little indiscretion?" She grinned, feeling victorious.

He glanced at her, "You think it's funny?"

Caroline repositioned herself in the seat — a naughty little thought about repositioning herself over his lap suddenly clouding her thoughts. "I find it funny that you try _so hard_ to pretend that you don't like me."

"Not pretending got me in a lot of trouble, don't you remember?" He confessed, keeping his eyes on the foggy road ahead.

"You know what I think? I think that you know that what I said is true. And now, you're just punishing me for all those times I was used as a distraction." She smacked her lips together.

Klaus shook his head, "I'm not punishing you for anything. But if you feel like you deserve it–" He shrugged.

A few more minutes went by with neither of them saying anything. In a way, Caroline knew he was right. She did feel like she deserved to be punished for having been such a fool, but she also felt like she deserved to be rewarded for all the shitty things she'd gone through. "Sometimes people do things without realizing how much they're actually hurting the other person. I know what I did wrong. Do you?" Her eyes were questioning.

He took a deep breath. "I know I've hurt your friends and you in ways I'll never know. But sometimes we do things in order to survive, Caroline. We're vampires, we have no moral compass. We're meant to be free, roam the earth without a care in the world and rejoice in being abominations of nature." He remained silent for a moment, "Not live our lives regretting every wrong action we've done."

"But yet, you're unwilling to forgive me for all the times I tricked you." She countered.

"No. I've forgiven you, I just haven't forgotten." He replied with raised eyebrows.

She smiled. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I would've never gotten naked in front of you just to take part in a ploy. That was all on my own accord." Caroline concluded, giving him a few pats on the thigh.

Klaus straightened himself up on his seat. Her advances ranged from obvious to subtle and he knew that eventually the pretty little blonde would end up breaking him.

* * *

Caroline opened her eyes to the early morning sun peaking its radiating head over the calm waters of the Atlantic ocean. Klaus had been driving all night and by the looks of it, she had surrendered to sleep shortly after their conversation. She rubbed her eyes, squinting at the brightness and yawning in the process. "Where are we?"

Klaus turned to her with a faint smile, "About 20 minutes away from Jacksonville."

She pulled herself up on her seat, still captivated by the rising sun. Her mind went back to Mystic Falls, wondering if her friends and her mother had already discovered that she was gone. "They're going to be looking for us." She warned.

"I know. But if I was able to hide from my worst enemy before, there's no reason why a bunch of high school kids would catch up to me now." He assured her.

The blonde looked out the window. Florida was a bit cooler this time of year but still managed to reach mid-70's temperatures even in the middle of winter. The air outside was teetering on frigid but she knew that as soon as the sun reached its highest peak, it would dissipate into a sheet of warmth. They drove for a few more minutes, finally coming across a sign welcoming them to Jacksonville. "So where in the city are we planning to look for the map?" She asked.

The Original smiled, teasing her with his silence. Caroline knew that he had it all figured out and hated being left in the dark. "We missed a few clues and pieces of information before."

"Like?"

He glanced at her. "Like, how much time my dear father spent on the southern part of the eastern seaboard. I'm sure he didn't just stick around for the humid climate and the never-ending summers."

"You think he was looking for the cure." Caroline muttered.

He nodded. "And I know of only one place that map can be."

The road ahead of them became narrower as he took a path away from the main highway. Reeds and herbs grew tall over the marsh as they entered a space of territory clearly designated as a swampland. She watched as mosquitoes hovered over the water, causing her to shiver. The humming of the engine was drowned by the singing of birds and the incessant chirping of the thousands of crickets that inhabited the area. Caroline could already feel the heat of the sun was increasing as the minutes passed. In between the tall marshes, the vision of a broken down and decrepit structure became clear. It looked like something out of a horror movie, the white paint chipped and the wood rotting and falling apart as the torrential rains had contributed to its ruins.

"That's one of the oldest plantations in the area." Klaus informed her, driving slowly until they reached the tall, rusted gate.

They stepped out of the car, immediately feeling the humidity that still lingered in the air. "How do you know the map is in there?"

Klaus cocked his head. "If it's not in the house, I'm sure it's buried somewhere in the property. This place was used as a sort of refuge during the witch trials that plagued the area in the 16th century. There's no safer place to hide something so valuable like a piece of land protected by a coven of witches."

Caroline raised her eyebrows, looking up into the sky and noticing that strange masses of dark clouds seemed to float over their heads as they walked to the structure. "I don't like this." She whispered, carefully watching her step as she remained close behind him.

He brought his hand back, lightly tapping her on the side as she inched closer to him and instinctively held on to his arm. Klaus gave her a smirk, realizing that she was relying on him for safety. "This place in uninhabited." He paused, "If you hear or see anything, it'll most likely be remnants of energy and the magic that was done here."

The blonde's eyes widened, as they reached the front door. A smell of musty, rotting wood became prominent the minute they stepped inside. The air became cold and the floors creaked with every step they took. Klaus had been right, there was no way someone could be living there in those conditions. She looked at the empty walls, black mold covering the edges and parts of the ceiling. Her hands let go of his arm, as they split up and she began to explore the house on her own.

The hours passed as room by room they began detaching floorboards and searching for the illusive map that had brought them all the way there. Caroline heard his heavy footsteps as he caught up to her in the lower level of the home. "We have to search outside, there's nothing in here."

She came to her feet and followed him to the marshy areas of the property, immediately catching sight of peculiar looking tree that seemed to be the only one in the area without any foliage. "Look familiar?" Caroline asked. Klaus looked at it carefully but didn't know what she was referring to. "Don't you think it's a little odd that it's the only bare tree in the area, and it has exactly eight branches each stemming from the trunk?"

Klaus gulped, and Caroline watched his Adam's apple bob up and down in his throat, realizing that it could be a symbol for the Original family. He ran to a small shed hidden behind the home and returned with a large shovel, digging for minutes on end until the roots of the tree became visible. The blonde had been right, hidden underneath the wet dirt was a black metal box. Klaus set it by his side on the ground, as Caroline took a seat next to him. She stared at him intently, placing her hand over his and nodding before they both opened it. Caroline smiled, releasing a celebratory giggle as they laid eyes on the brown, leathery rolled up map.

"We did it! We actually found it!" She exclaimed, lunging herself at him without even thinking it twice.

Klaus felt her body crash into his, allowing himself for one moment to take her in. She fit into him so perfectly that it would've been a crime to tear her way from his arms. Her soft golden waves brushed against his face and her delightful fragrance awoke the animal he was trying to keep dormant. Caroline's hands wrapped around his neck, as she closed her eyes, breathing in his scent and wishing he could feel what she was feeling. It was in that moment that they both connected, both in tune with each other and yet unaware it was actually happening.

She lifted up her head from his shoulder, gazing into his eyes and feeling her heart thumping in her chest like a beating drum. His lips were tempting, parting lightly as he breathed. Caroline took the liberty to run her fingers over the side of his face, feeling the prickly feel of his scruff tickle the bottom of her sensitive fingers. They were both silent, neither wanting to disrupt what was going on between the two. But by some irony of nature, the magic happening between them was abruptly brought to a halt by a completely different kind of magic.

A powerful gust of wind swept the tree above them violently, as the pieces of the home began falling to the ground with thundering force. This was no typical storm, it had all the makings of angry witch spirits. A loud, deafening noise filled their ears as they both brought their hands up to their head. The feeling was paralyzing but Klaus managed to grab the map out of the box and take a hold of Caroline's arm. "We need to get out of here!"

She only nodded, fleeing beside him at swift speed towards the car. Within a matter of seconds the sunshine that had been present around them had been obscured by a menacing darkness. Caroline's heart was beating fast but it was difficult for her to decipher whether it was caused by the danger they had been in or the kiss that had seemed almost inevitable between them.

* * *

It was late in the evening as they sat in a corner of a quiet and almost-desolate diner. Caroline munched on french fries, wishing the dipping sauce was of a redder color and a much lighter consistency. "I'm hungry." She muttered, stuffing five fries into her mouth.

Klaus managed to relent a smile. He looked around the restaurant, noticing the lonely hostess waiting by the door and a waitress attending to another table. "Take your pick. Redhead or brunette?"

Caroline's mouth twisted in discomfort. "Why can't we just go to the hospital? I need to-go food."

"Why can't you just be _normal_ and consume _food_ the way it's meant to be consumed?" His words were playful, something the blonde enjoyed even if he was talking about feeding on an innocent.

Her mouth watered at the thought of tasting fresh, warm blood. "Promise you won't let me lose control." She requested.

The Original nodded, a wicked smile appearing on his lips. That dark glare became apparent in his eyes again. Caroline got the feeling he enjoyed seeing hints of darkness in her and it made her a bit nervous. He had once said he liked that she was full of light, and yet something told her that even though her light attracted him to her, it was because he was hoping to show her some darkness of his own.

They abandoned the restaurant and strolled the streets of the city, until they found what they were looking for. It was the first time Caroline had tasted human blood in over a year and her inner monster rejoiced with every drop that hit her tongue. Klaus did as she promised, keeping an eye on her but he hadn't found it necessary to intervene. She had enough control to know when to stop.

After some quick compulsion and a wipe of the mouth, Caroline leaned against the wall of the dark alley, feeling satisfied and reinvigorated. She asked the question that had been on her mind the whole time, "Did you enjoy that?"

The Original tried hard to hide his joy, "I like watching you in your element. You're good at it, I don't know why you try so hard to be different."

Her eyelashes fluttered at his words, "Maybe I'm just afraid of going off the deep end." She admitted, licking her lips.

Klaus moved slowly towards her, pulling out the map from underneath his jacket. "Don't be afraid, love. Would I purposely put you in danger?" He smirked, unrolling the map over the wall and taking another look at it.

She shook her head, "No."

Klaus studied the map, a sketched out version of a world that seemed foreign to the blonde. He hummed, understanding what he was looking at. "Let me guess, somewhere along our travels we made a pit stop in Vancouver." He said, looking at her inquisitively. Caroline's mouth opened slightly as she nodded.

"Is that where it's located?"

Klaus scrunched up his nose, "Not precisely. But it's our starting point."

Caroline took another look at him, genuinely beaming at him from ear to ear, an action that took him by surprise. "You believe me, don't you? You know I'm not lying to you about the well and the time loop I was stuck in." Klaus didn't reply but he didn't have to, Caroline took his silence as reassurance. "You can keep pretending that you're indifferent towards me, but you can't fool me. Not anymore." She concluded, leaning towards him and placing a lingering kiss on his cheek.

* * *

**Please review, I'll love you forever! xoxo**


	17. Chapter 17

**Took me a little while but I finally have an update for you all. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 17: Urges**

* * *

Caroline woke up to the buzzing of people around her, she audibly groaned in vexation at the realization that she had been dreaming all along. She looked at Klaus who was seated next to her in the airplane. He had decided that a drive to Vancouver would only be a waste of time and didn't hesitate for a moment to purchase a pair of airline tickets instead. The blonde leaned back against her seat, staring at the side of his face as he sat in silence gazing at the empty air in front of him. A loud sigh escaped her throat as she traced back her steps to the dream wonderland she had just been a part of. She remembered London and looking out the window of their grand hotel, Klaus stepping out of the shower wrapped only in a towel and then feeling his skin melting into hers like butter on warm toast. She loved him, and not being able to be with him in every way possible made her feel incredibly impotent — not to mention sexually frustrated beyond belief.

Klaus suddenly turned to her, meeting her eyes and furrowing his brow. "Didn't anyone tell you it's not very polite to stare?" He teased.

Caroline didn't care how polite or impolite she was being. It had been days since they'd been together and by now her body was demanding to be fulfilled. It was easy to forget about basic human needs when they were busy doing other things but sitting on a long plane ride at maximum altitude only made her think of one thing. The Mile High Club was definitely calling her name at this point.

The blonde smiled, "I had a dream about us." She admitted, lowering her voice so people around her wouldn't eavesdrop.

The Original perched his eyebrows, showing interest in her words. He turned on his side, lowering his gaze towards her. "What could you have possibly been dreaming about?"

Caroline smiled, "Good things." She replied, "_Really _good things." Her eyes closed again, turning to face the window instead. Klaus' interest, however, had been peaked and he wasn't going to let her go back to sleep without her recounting her dream.

The airplane hit a few air pockets, causing it to shake and making for a bumpier-than-usual ride. She felt his lips close in on her ear, the heat coming off them in waves. "We have time, love. Do share."

Her eyes snapped open and she licked her lips, "Are you sure you want to hear about it?"

He nodded and she signaled him with her finger to get closer. She would tell him, but she would do it her way. Klaus huffed, leaning his head towards her as her perked up pink lips hovered over his ear. She whispered into it, her warm breath swirling about. "I dreamt about our time in London." Caroline began, "You had just come out of the shower, water still dripping down your torso, a towel wrapped around your hips. I was wrapped in a white bed sheet, and I was _naked_." Caroline could see his chest moving in an uneven pace. She looked into his eyes, "I really miss that, you know?" Her hand moved over his lap. "I would give anything for you to experience what we both felt. We were happy–" she paused, stumbling over her next words. "We were in love, Klaus."

The Original was motionless, his heart beating rapidly. "You really believe that?" He finally muttered.

The blonde straightened herself up on her seat. "Of course I do. I lived it." The plane shook again, causing everyone on board to panic for a slight second. The captain came on the intercom, announcing their final descent into Vancouver. "Is this what it's all about? You're afraid that you'll somehow disappoint me?" She asked.

"You seem to have high expectations." He replied almost immediately.

Caroline scoffed, "You don't give yourself enough credit." She planned on ending the conversation there but refused to leave it in such friendly territory, "And you're also extremely naive for a 1,000 year-old Original. I've been practically throwing myself at you since the moment we left Mystic Falls and you're just too blinded by distrust to see it." She crossed her arms over her chest and turned her back to him, staring out the window and watching as the plane got closer to the runway.

* * *

Caroline browsed around the tiny gas station convenience store. She eyed Klaus every once in a while as she picked out snacks and grabbed a few drinks. The Original could feel her glances but pretended not to notice and instead continued to wait by the rental car until she was ready to leave. He noticed the weather wasn't doing them any favors — they still had to drive to the port and take a boat to their final location. He watched her once again, noticing she was chatting and laughing with the store attendant. Her hair moved from one side to the other, going along with her lively gestures. It was impossible to look at her and see her smile without being affected by her cheery attitude.

He suddenly remembered that he had promised to take her shopping for a new change of clothes. It was the least he could do after taking her from Mystic Falls without even letting her go back home first. Caroline pushed the door open and walked out of the store, strutting towards him with plastic bags in hand. She looked at him with a serious demeanor, giving him those dagger eyes she was so good at. She walked past him, eager to get to her side of the car but the Original held on to her arm, causing her to swing back towards him.

"Hey." He said, pulling her in closer. "I'm sorry."

Caroline narrowed her eyes, "Really?"

"Yes. I'm sorry for what I said. And I'm also sorry for not trusting you but you know I have very good reasons for that."

She twisted her mouth, "Okay. Now I'm not sure if you're actually apologizing or if this is some kind of _sorry not sorry _apology."

Klaus moved his hands from her arms to her waist, making Caroline's breathing tether at the touch. "You were right. I do believe you. I'm just afraid that you'll want me to be something I'm not."

Caroline looked down at his hands, "I guess we're both afraid of the same thing. But I really do think we both make each other better _people_." She smiled, "I make you a little good and you make me a little bad. The balance can't be any more perfect." The blonde looked at him with fiery eyes, that urge to have closer growing stronger the longer his hands remained around her waist.

Tiny drops of rain fell over their heads and the Original looked up at the dark sky. "Are we still planning on taking a boat out to sea in this weather?" Caroline asked.

He pursed his lips, "Only if the rain doesn't get any worse." He released his grasp on her and proceeded to open the door of the car for her. "But first, I promised I would get you some new clothes." The blonde grinned, as he shut the door.

* * *

Caroline was glad her new change of clothes had been purchased there and not in Florida. The weather was a complete 180 compared to the warmth of the Sunshine State. She brought her feet up on the dashboard, admiring her newly purchased boots, and wrapping herself up in her warm jacket. Klaus glanced over at her, the tightly knit beanie over her head making her look even more innocent and angelic than usual. He smiled, "You look cozy."

Her flushed cheeks radiated heat, "This weather reminds me of Mystic Falls." The rain hadn't stopped falling, in fact, it had only increased in frequency, making it almost impossible for Klaus to see where he was driving. The sky lit up every so often, as the lighting made its presence known amongst the grey clouds.

"We're almost there. I'm sure we can find a place nearby where we can spend the night." He assured her.

Caroline noticed that the strand leading them to the port wasn't very populated, she had doubts that a hotel would just magically appear out of thin air, but she trusted Klaus' judgment. After a few more minutes of driving they arrived at the port, noticing the only other structure around was a lighthouse that seemed to be out of service.

The blonde looked at him in silence, not wanting to declare the obvious. Luckily, he saved her the trouble. "We can go look for a hotel–"

"It's fine. We drove far enough as it is. Maybe there's a way we can go in there." She replied, pointing at the giant, white lighthouse.

Klaus nodded, opening his door and running over to her side to help her out. The rain was pouring down incessantly as they sprint over to a tiny booth located only a few feet from the structure. He peeked inside, noticing the dark interior was really only big enough for one person. It looked similar to a parking ticket booth and it wasn't going to be of any use to both of them. His eyes shot up towards the lighthouse, the water dripped down its sides, as he heard the tiny echoes of the raindrops hitting the tower.

"I'm gonna have to break the door open." He conveyed, thinking that the blonde would somehow be opposed to destroying private property.

She nodded, closing her eyes as a gust of wind caused the rain to hit her face. Her hair was already damp and she could feel the water seeping into her newly purchased clothes. Klaus took a hold of her hand, an action that made her heart speed up drastically as they dashed to the door. He did exactly as he had said, and with a single yank, forced the door open. They rushed inside, into the darkness of the cold and desolate tower. Caroline felt an immediate rush of claustrophobia at the though of occupying such a confined space. The Original pulled out his phone, illuminating their path with the brightness of the screen, and she decided to do the same in order to find their path up the spiral staircase.

"Do you think the rain will continue until tomorrow?" The blonde asked, taking a hold of the rail and proceeding behind Klaus up to the watch room. The tower windows were covered in rust that had run down from its metal frames but they allowed some of the outside light to seep through.

"It might dissipate overnight." He replied.

The sky began to rumble, causing the surrounding glass to shake. Caroline's eyes widened and then a nervous laugh burst through her lips. "Perhaps, we've made a terrible mistake." She uttered, watching as their surroundings lit up by the lightning, the moment they reached the watch room. Her eyes registered a wooden chair by the window and a small cot by its side. Besides that, the area was empty and the surface creaked with every step they took.

"Afraid of a little thunder and lightning?" Klaus asked in a mocking tone.

She rolled her eyes, "I just don't think it's safe. What happens if the waves increase exponentially. We'll be trapped up here."

He smirked, "I did ask if you wanted to go to a hotel."

Caroline sighed, she couldn't say much more after that, she'd be the one to suggest the lighthouse in the first place. Instead, she walked over to the window and peered out into the cliffs below. The ocean was almost pitch-black, but she could hear and feel the waves crashing into the base of the tower with force. _Just one night_. She thought, believing that the next day would bring better weather so they could finally sail off onto their next destination. Her eyes grazed the cot as she contemplated sitting on it but it looked old and somewhat uncomfortable. Klaus was standing on the other side of the window, hiding in the shadows like some kind of recluse. The minimum light that seeped from outside illuminated Caroline just enough for him to be able to see her quite clearly. She removed her beanie and dusted the chair with her hand before placing it on top.

Her wet hair moved about, as she unzipped her jacket and peeled it off of her. It wasn't until she began taking off her boots that Klaus finally spoke up. "What are you doing?" His voice came from the other side of the room, as Caroline struggled to get a good look at him.

"Taking off my shoes, what does it look like I'm doing?" She asked with raised eyebrows.

"I can see that, but why?"

Her forehead creased in astonishment and confusion. "We're going to sleep here, aren't we?"

The thunder rolled in again, quickly followed by another flash of lighting. The rain outside began pouring, causing a loud drumming as it hit the dome. Caroline looked up, as if afraid of it collapsing on them. The Original smiled, watching her startled expression to a simple act of nature. "Yes." He paused, "I just didn't want you to get _too comfortable_."

It was as if the sound of the rain and everything going on outside had been put on hold, Caroline smiled, realizing what Klaus was getting at. "Oh! You thought I was going to strip off my clothes again." She said bluntly.

He walked towards her, emerging from the darkness with a sullen expression on his face. Caroline wasn't afraid, his reactions had somehow become almost exhilarating for her. His footsteps sounded heavy on the floor below, but Caroline continued to go about her business, laying the jacket on the cot and extending it enough for her to be able to rest her upper body on it. She paused at the feel of his presence only inches from her. She bit down on her lower lip, her back still turned to him, before she conjured up the courage to say what was on her mind.

"Why don't you just do it already?" Her words came out in a murmur but it was loud enough for him to hear. She closed her eyes, as his lips pulled in next to her ear.

"You don't now what you're saying, love." Klaus muttered, slowly retracting from her.

Caroline huffed, "You know, I never imagined it would be this difficult to get you to admit that you want me." She turned around, frustration evident on her face. "You went through so much effort to pursue me, to get to know me, and now that you have me where you've always wanted, you run away like a scared little puppy."

Klaus held his head up high, visibly insulted. "It's not like that–"

"It's not?" She interrupted, "Then what's it like? Why can't you just f–"

She stopped, she wanted to say it, the words were at the tip of her tongue and yet she didn't want to sound like a common whore. She didn't want to sound like however many other woman Klaus had bedded in his lifetime. The blonde knew that a man like him, powerful, strong, handsome, probably had women throwing themselves at him wherever he went. She didn't want to be like them, but he was pushing her to the brink. Caroline hated herself for wanting him so bad and she hated him for not acting on his desires.

"I want to." He relented. "I want to more than anything, Caroline. I haven't thought of anything else since we kissed that night."

Her lips parted in surprise, forming the slightest of smirks. Her stomach turned with excitement and she could feel the physical reactions in response to his confession. The loud roar of the thunder encompassed them both, and she looked up at him with wanting eyes as her hand slid over his cheek. Klaus licked his lips before finally giving in to his craving. Caroline felt her temperature rising almost immediately, his lips on hers were the only thing she needed to make her ache with want. It had been so long and the thought of them being together was driving her crazy. She breathed heavily, wildly running her hands over him and slipping off his jacket.

Klaus took a hold of her face, pecking her lips with ardent need, before pushing her against the concave wall of the tower. She placed her hands against it, allowing his mouth to trail over her neck and chest, as his fingers slipped underneath her top. It was freezing outside and yet her skin felt pleasantly warm. His mouth continued its trajectory over her neck before a strong and familiar urge came over him. Klaus stopped for a second, taken aback by what he was experiencing. The blonde took a hold of his face, not giving him enough time to process things through. She dove into his mouth once again, biting down on his pink flesh and humming in pleasure against his lips. Caroline's breathing hitched as she realized her heart was beating slightly out of pace and the tingling sensation underneath her eyes became ever so present. She moaned, retracting as her tongue ran over Klaus' protruding fangs.

They both pulled back, the golden glint still visible in his eyes. She brought her fingers up to her upper cheeks, feeling as the veins snaked back below the skin under her eyes. "What's happening?" She asked, her heart still racing.

Klaus looked at her bewildered, "I felt it before." He said breathless, walking over to the window and looking out into the immense ocean. The rain was still falling but it had decreased in force.

Caroline remembered the same sensation had occurred before. "The first time we kissed." She corroborated. "I felt it then too." She stood next to him, leaning against the window sill and looking up at him. His face was that of concern. "Why are you so worried about me? Your blood can heal me if you do end up biting me." Her tone was very nonchalant.

The Original glanced at her, "It's not that simple."

"Hmmm, you sure care a lot for a guy who threatened to kill me just a couple days ago." She asserted playfully, a smile taking over her lips.

Klaus looked at her, relenting a smirk before running his hand through his hair. "Caroline, there's a reason why I can't just sleep with you." He delivered the words carefully, "And I was unaware of what I'm about to tell you, until the night we kissed for the first time."

Her eyes widened like spheres and her stomach tightened with anxiety. "What is it?"

"It's going to sound ridiculous and trust me, I didn't believe it when I first heard about it but since it's happened twice already–"

"Klaus. Tell me."

He nodded, "One of the reasons why I've been so _afraid_ to give in to what I want is because of this urge that comes over me when we both get lost in the moment."

"Why do we want to feed?" Caroline asked, straightening herself up. "It's never happened before with anyone who's not human."

Klaus paced over to the cot, this time sitting over its fragile frame. "I remember hearing the stories from time to time, whenever I arrived at a new village. The wolves used to talk about a form of mating ritual they called marking. It happens when two supernatural beings, in this case werewolves, take claim over each other while mating."

"But I'm not a werewolf." The blonde muttered.

"And that's what makes this so strange. I feel like I'm somehow projecting my urge and desire to feed on you and that's why you feel the need to do it as well."

Caroline raised her eyebrows, "Or maybe it's just something that happens to vampires too." She said inquisitively. "What if it's not as bad as you think it is?"

"You don't know that." He countered.

Caroline smiled, "No. But what if the reason why I feel so drawn to your blood is because we're–" She hesitated, afraid of how he'd react to her theory, "Meant to be together."

"Caroline, what if there's no going back after that? What if you're stuck with me?" He asked.

"Is that something you're afraid of or something I should be afraid of?" She teased, taking a seat next to him. "I know that I love you. I'm sure of what I feel." Klaus looked away, as if not taking her words seriously. "I know what I want, Klaus."

He sighed loudly, "I think you need to think about it a little longer. We shouldn't rush to do anything we might regret in the morning."

The rain had come to a standstill, the only sound outside was that of the waves and the whistling wind as it creeped through the crevices of the lighthouse. Caroline plopped over on the cot, "If that's what you really want."

"It is." He replied, running his hand over her hair and watching as she closed her eyes.

"You know what I want?" She asked, her eyes still shut. "I want to see everything this world has to offer."

Klaus smiled, hearing his regurgitated words coming out of her mouth. And to think he believed that all those times he spoke to her, all those times he tried to sweep her off her feet with his intricate vocabulary and embellished promises of a better life, had gone unnoticed. Now she was here, proving to him that she'd been listening all along and contemplating his words, even when she halted his advances and insisted that she hated him.

"I want to see it with you." She concluded.

* * *

**Please take a few seconds to review. Thank you bunches! xoxo**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hello, everyone! So sorry for keeping you waiting forever for an update! I've been really busy and honestly, feeling a bit uninspired but I think I have my mojo back! Please enjoy this chapter and don't forget to send me your thoughts :)**

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**Chapter 18: The Plunge**

* * *

Caroline's eyes opened to the sight of Klaus standing by the tower window. His silhouette was bathed in sunlight, giving him a heavenly aura that the blonde didn't think was even possible. She perched herself up on the cot and swung her legs over the side, causing him to smirk and turn to face her. "Where did you sleep?" She asked, coming to her feet and picking up her jacket from the ground.

"I didn't." Klaus replied, lifting one eyebrow and twisting his mouth in an adorable fashion. The blonde gave him a surprised look but figured this was something he was probably used to. Klaus didn't seem like the type to worry about beauty sleep or resting, he lived-up to his 'creature of the night' persona quite well. "I'm a little worried about the place we're heading off to today."

"You? Worried?" She said incredulous. "Since when are you afraid of going into unknown territory. I thought 'Klaus the most powerful creature on the planet' didn't fear a thing."

The Original smiled, pacing over to her as she continued to slip into her boots. "Yeah. Well, I didn't say I was afraid for myself." Caroline looked up at him and beamed, flattered by his concern for her. "It's a small little island off the coast and it is uninhabited but that doesn't mean we'll be alone. It's hidden in the sea, visible only to those who dare set foot on it." His words were cryptic and ominous.

"How is an island hidden if it's off the coast?" She questioned, quickly realizing she was asking the obvious. "Witches." She muttered under her breath.

They gathered what little belongings they had and made their way down the spiral staircase of the lighthouse. The sun was glaring down at them, clear, blue skies up above. Someone was at the parking ticket booth this time, an older man with glasses that eyed them suspiciously as he saw them exit the tower. He stood up from his chair and quickly made his way towards them. "I'll take care of it." Klaus announced.

"What do you two think you're doing? That lighthouse is private property, you can't just barge in there like you own the place!" The man pointed a menacing finger at them. He seemed grumpy but Caroline only managed to giggle, realizing they were being treated like a pair of delinquent kids. Klaus looked back at her, a slight smirk appearing on his lips. The man finally reached them, shooting each of them glares and eyeing them from head to toe.

"We need to take a boat out to sea." Klaus said sternly, his face projecting his words with the same sentiment.

"The hell you do. First you need to tell me why you destroyed private proper—"

"Look mate," Klaus took a grasp of his throat as Caroline watched him silently from behind. She wanted to do something but she knew it was the hybrid's way of dealing with things and she couldn't stop him from being himself just because she didn't agree with it. "We need a boat. Now, go find me one that I can use." Klaus' pupils dilated as the compulsion took effect. He let go of his throat and the man nodded, hurrying back to the booth and scrummaging through his desk.

Klaus walked with Caroline towards the docks, eyeing the private boats and yachts with interest. The blonde took a deep breath, "You sure handled that." She muttered, raising an eyebrow at him.

"What?" He replied, "You can't tell me I did anything wrong. I compelled him to get us a boat and then I let him go. He's still alive and kicking."

The blonde shook her head, smiling and looking over at the old man who by now was coming towards them with keys in his hand. He looked at Klaus nervously, as he handed him the keys and pointed him towards the boat. The blonde knew she couldn't leave things just like that, she tapped him lightly on the arm and he turned towards her as he adjusted his glasses. She spoke, "Someone must have broken into the lighthouse last night and you just noticed it this morning. Work has been normal as usual. We were never here." Caroline placed a hand over his shoulder, watching as he nodded and agreed with her compulsion before walking away.

Klaus smirked, dangling the keys in front of her. "Shall we?"

* * *

The ocean was endless in all directions, blue as far as the eye could see. The waters were calm and the sunlight reflected off the surface like a mirror. The wind made Caroline's hair swirl wildly, like a golden-haired Medusa. She squinted her eyes, placing a hand over them in an attempt to discern if the island was anywhere in sight. After a few failed attempts, she joined Klaus again, who was commanding the tiny vessel.

"You'll see it when it's time." He said, knowing she was growing impatient. "If the map is correct, we'll be at the shore in less than five minutes."

Caroline ran her hands through her hair, the sea water breeze made it hard for her to comb it with her fingers. "So it'll just appear out of thin air?" She said inquisitively.

Klaus nodded. "Have you ever heard of Roanoke?"

The blonde looked at him with intense eyes. "Yeah. The lost colony."

The Original smiled, happy that she knew her history. "This island is said to have been the first of those mysterious disappearances. Settlers found it during an exploration voyage but soon enough, it was as if the sea had devoured them." He looked at her with a solemn expression, "They were never heard from again."

"Exactly the kind of thing I want to hear before setting foot there." Caroline replied, her eyes widening as she noticed a large mass of fog slowly encompassing them. She walked over to the side of the boat, leaning to the side and watching as the waters below them became darker and murkier. "I don't believe it." She muttered, her mouth dropping open as land became visible before them. Klaus slowed the boat down, approaching the island with caution. There was a haunting stillness to the place that gave her the creeps. It was as if they had entered a different world, a dark and gloomy place that brought shadows to life. "What happened to the sun?" She asked, looking up at the black, starless sky.

"It's probably just a facade." He replied, bringing the boat close to shore and dropping anchor. "Either that or maybe it's night time here." Klaus didn't sound too convinced and yet he said it very matter-of-fact.

The blonde had already had her share of weird time traveling experiences and she wasn't sure if she was ready for another. She looked around the boat, eyeing a few things that could be of use to them. Before they stepped onto solid ground, she handed Klaus a couple of rolled up sleeping bags and grabbed a couple flashlights from one of the compartments. He smiled, "This isn't a camping trip."

Her nose scrunched up in disapproval, "You really think we'll be in and out of there in time to go home and sleep in our beds?" Her words were filled with skepticism.

She took one of the sleeping bags from his hands and threw it over her shoulders like a backpack before jumping off the boat. The Original watched her, enjoying her sassiness and following her into the darkness of the island. Caroline looked back at the boat, exhaled loudly and let him lead the way. They had only walked a few minutes when the blonde began hearing whispers — it was as if someone was walking right behind her, leaning into her ear and speaking to her in a low and muffled tone. She turned around, pointing the flashlight around and noticing there was nobody there. Klaus stopped, giving her a concerned look before she waved it off as her imagination.

"What are we going to do after we find the cure?" She asked. _You need to kill him_. The voice rang in her ears, this time louder than before. Caroline's eyes widened as she brought her hands up to her ears.

Klaus, unaware of her experience continued walking in front of her, "I think the question here is, what are _you_ going to do after all this is over?" He turned back for a second to look at her, finding that the blonde was curled up on the floor a few yards behind him.

Caroline covered her face, crying in panic as she waved off an imaginary threat with her hands. The Original ran towards her, putting his arms around her but she continued failing. "Caroline! Caroline! You're okay, it's okay! Listen to my voice," He looked around at the darkness that surrounded them, no sign of any visible life. "Don't let it get a hold of you. It's only playing with your head." He continued talking to her, until eventually the blonde calmed down.

Caroline looked at him, her eyes the shape of saucers, "I saw a darkness." She was out of breathe and he helped her to her feet as he continued to give her comfort. "There was more than one." She paused, "They want me to kill you, Klaus." Her voice trembled.

Klaus narrowed his eyes, "This place is spell-bound to protect the cure. If I take it, it will affect my whole bloodline. But if you were a witch who hated vampires, wouldn't you rather have them all die than be turned back into humans?"

The blonde steadied her breathing, "You can't die without the white oak stake." She assured him.

"That doesn't mean it won't mess with your head to make you turn against me." He replied. Caroline looked past him, fright taking over her again as something materialized before her eyes. It was a cloaked figure, towering over them and opening its arms in a menacing manner. Klaus turned around, catching sight of the apparition as well. He grabbed Caroline by the hand and careened past it, speeding down the rugged terrain until they were far enough for them to take a break.

He quickly unrolled the map, carefully studying it and pointing to one particular spot. "We need to get there. If we stay within the darkness of the island, we won't make it to morning." He warned, grabbing her hand once again and pulling her away to safety.

The trees bolted past them, making the blonde feel like she was under the effects of some powerful drug. Creatures emerged from the shadows, winged and clawed, some looked like animals, others like humans. She felt like Alice in Wonderland or a character in _Sleepy Hollow_. The tree branches seemed to have sprung to life and red eyes appeared in the darkness, glowing and threatening to harm them. After some time she decided to run in her own obscurity, closing her eyes and allowing Klaus to guide her. When she opened them again, there was a clearing through the trees and a brightness that was barely peeking through the shrub.

Klaus finally slowed down and Caroline realized they'd entered a part of the island that was similar to the world they'd left behind when they encountered the fog in the ocean. The Original had been right, the darkness was just a facade — a frightening and dangerous one.

She let herself plummet to the ground, leaning back and resting on the sleeping back that was still attached to her back. "How did you know the center of the island looked like this?" She asked, gazing at the brightness and the vibrant foliage around them. The trees were tall and a beautiful shade of green, and in the distance she could hear the trickling of water. Her heart skipped, recalling the sound of water inside the well.

"I didn't." Klaus replied, admitting that he was only hoping this is what they would find. "But now that we know it really is morning, maybe we can find the cure and get out of here before nightfall."

* * *

The map led them to a small lagoon. They both peeked inside the water, its darkness alerted them of its depth. "Now what?" Caroline asked, knowing very well that the cure was probably underwater. Klaus looked at her and didn't say a word, only tilted his head towards the lagoon. The blonde slipped off the sleeping bag from her back and set it on the ground, proceeding to kick off her boots and remove her jacket. The weather wasn't cold enough to be wearing that many layers of clothing anyway.

"You're not going." He announced, starting to remove his shoes.

The blonde froze, "What? Why not?"

The Original took a hold of the hem of his shirt, pulling it over his head and causing Caroline to get distracted for a moment. She hadn't seen him like this in a while and it was a more-than-welcomed sight. "Because you need to stay here in case anything comes up."

She furrowed her eyebrows. "That doesn't make any sense. There's nothing around here, what could possibly come up? Besides, what if you need my help?" Her hands moved on to her jeans, unbuttoning and pulling them down as she struggled to free her ankles. "I'm coming with you."

Klaus opened his mouth but only expelled air, deciding to stay clear of any arguing. Caroline was as stubborn as him and at this point she wasn't going to just take his orders and stay put. They both undressed, glancing at each other when the other wasn't looking as to not make it obvious that they both liked what they saw. They stood in front of the water, and the blonde dipped her hand inside to check the temperature. Klaus chuckled, amused by her actions. "Ready?" He asked, not giving her enough time to answer. He plunged into the water and disappeared into its depths.

Caroline took a deep breath and dove in after him, the crisp water hitting her skin and smoothly caressing her on her way down. She opened her eyes, catching a sight of Klaus swimming further and further below. The water became darker as the distance between them and the surface grew. The Original held on to the giant rock wall they encountered underneath, there were several openings, large enough for them to swim through. The blonde swallowed nervously, afraid they might encounter something terrible if they went inside. He extended his hand, giving hers a tight squeeze before letting go and making his way through the entrance of the underwater cavern.

The blonde was starting to regret her decision to follow him, as her need for air increased. After a few seconds, she popped her head out of the water, breaking the surface and taking in as much air as possible. She wiped the water from her eyes, noticing they were inside a small cave. Klaus was already exploring his surroundings, his wet boxer briefs were stuck to his skin. Caroline's lips parted in awe until he broke the silence, "There's a series of underground caverns. The cure could be in any of them." He jumped back in the water, "I'm going to check the other ones."

Caroline watched him retreat back underneath before following him.

* * *

They checked the other caverns, each looking like the one before. If the cure was hidden in one of them they had to figure out which one. "There has to be a clue somewhere." Klaus said, staring at the map and hoping the answer would just pop out at him.

Caroline stared at him in silence, watching the water droplets roll down his chest and off his shoulders. He glanced at her, noticing her doting eyes and giving up on his quest for the time being. "So what are you going to do after we find it?" He asked again.

"Convince you that we belong together." Her mouth perked up as she inched closer to him, "And convince everyone else that I'm not giving up on you."

Klaus rolled up the map, setting it aside and staring at the half naked girl sitting before him. Her golden waves were now brown and dripping with water but her cheeks were still flushed and her lips were an ardent pink. "All my life, I've had to deal with people wanting me dead. I can't even trust my own family at times, why can't you understand that's the reason I'm so hesitant to trust a stranger."

She nodded, "I do understand. I know that you're hurt and that all the horrible things you've done have been done because you've had to survive. But I also know that your family history is what influences a lot of your actions and all I'm asking is for you to understand me as well." The blonde took a hold of his hand, "I know I've done wrong as well, Klaus. But I also did it because I have a family. We might not be bound by blood, but I still care about them. I also only did it to help them survive. But I promise I will never cross you again. I wouldn't dream of it now."

Caroline pressed her lips together, a silence growing between them as she hoped he would come forth and speak. "You can't be with me and expect me to change and be _good_." He began, "You can't hold on to hope that someone like me could do that."

"I don't want to change you." She replied, coming to her knees and taking a hold of his face. "But I do know you can be better. Let me help you forget about all the people who have caused you this much pain." Her words were almost pleading. "Give me a chance."

Her lips pressed against his as she tenderly wrapped them around his warm flesh. Her heart began to pound faster, feeling his energy expel from his body and travel through hers. Klaus could feel his body's response to the kiss, the drumming inside his chest and the adrenaline running through his veins was enough to want to flip a switch. He could feel his inner animal roaring with lust and yet his human side wanted nothing more than to ravish her as intricately as possible. He laid her on her back, hovering over her and pressing lightly against the mount between her legs. A desperate moan escaped Caroline's lips as she felt him, separated only by two pieces of thin and wet fabric.

"I want to be with you, only you." She managed to blurt out, feeling his lips tracing imaginary trails over her neck. "Only you, Klaus." Her center began to pulsate with want at the feel of his length hardening over her. It was deliciously excruciating, wanting him so bad and still feeling deprived.

Klaus' breathing was jagged, "Are you sure about this?" His piercing blue eyes met hers as she bit down on her lips and nodded.

"I'm sure." She replied, taking a hold of his hair between her fingers and quickly rolling him over until she was on top. Caroline looked down at him, swiveling her hips in a satisfying motion over his hard cock.

"So much for those sleeping bags." He muttered, causing her to chuckle.

That familiar feeling took over them again, it was like fighting against the need to orgasm. She could feel the veins underneath her eyes and the same was visible in his face. His eyes changed from gold to blue in a matter of seconds, his face from beast to human the more she moved on top of him and moaned his name. He pulled her down closer to his chest, moving his sly fingers over her back and unclipping her bra. Her nipples were already hard, and he ran his fingertips over them, watching as her mouth parted and she relished in the feeling. His hands moved swiftly over her hips, tugging at the seams of her underwear until the force was enough to tear the fabric apart.

Caroline didn't seem to mind that her only pair was now ruined, she reached between her legs, touching his hardness and stroking it with applied pressure before releasing it from underneath its confines. Klaus' breathing hitched at the feel of her hand over his smooth stiffness. His tip made contact with her warmth and moist entrance and the blonde lifted herself up slightly to allow him passage. She let out a loud whimper, as he filled her up, her insides wrapping tightly around him. Klaus' eyes glowed a dark gold, as she began moving up and down at an even pace. Her hair fell over her face, and her mouth made exquisitely provoking noises that sounded like a sweet melody in Klaus' ears.

He noticed the veins underneath her eyes move with each exhale. Her fangs were barely visible but he knew they were hiding underneath her perfect, plump lips. His hands ran over her chest, holding on to her breasts as his fingers began to delicately pinch her nipples. She moaned louder, her breathing increasing in pace as her hips also began moving faster. Klaus knew she was close to her release and continued with his actions.

"Come on, sweetheart." He muttered, watching as her face changed and feeling her insides getting increasingly more wet. Klaus opened his mouth to speak again but Caroline interrupted him with a cry full of satisfaction and complete elation.

"Fuck." She blurted out, still moaning and savoring the feeling of ecstasy. Her breathing was incessant as she writhed over him, her lips coming down to meet his as her teeth gently scraped his flesh.

Klaus promptly turned her over, and she opened her legs wider, still flying high from her release. She bent them at the knees and allowed him to push himself inside her deeper than before. Her hands clasped on to his back, grazing him with her fingernails as he moved inside her. The was no other sound but the moans and whimpers coming from her mouth and the grunting escaping his throat. Caroline felt the urge to bite into him again, this time her fangs becoming visible and her eyes turning a crimson color. Klaus could feel himself close to finishing as she continued begging for more. Her breathing was rampant and she knew that it would only take a few more seconds before she was on the edge again.

The Original continued his movements, lifting one of her legs up with one hand and moving in and out of her at a steady pace. Caroline held on to his muscular arms, squeezing them tightly as she felt herself finish for a second time, at this point Klaus found it difficult to hold off any longer and he too let himself go. The urges to taste each other's blood caught them at a vulnerable time. Her bite came first, fast and savage, as her fangs perforated the skin of his shoulder. The blood ran down her chin, making her orgasm otherworldly and providing an indescribable, explosive feeling. Seconds later, Klaus bit into her neck, his tongue savored her flavorful blood and he licked the wound delicately, making her shiver with pleasure.

They were both exhausted but couldn't bring themselves to part from each other. She rested her body next to him, her head over his chest as she listened to his heartbeat steady itself. Caroline felt like she was his for the first time, it was something she couldn't explain. All those times she'd been with him and all the declarations of love had meaning but this, this was something else. She smiled at him and he leaned closer to her, brushing his lips against hers. It was at that moment that the fiery sensation on her neck surfaced, she placed her hand over the wound, feeling it disappear underneath her fingertips. It felt scalding hot, like a burning flame.

Klaus noticed her reaction, "Do you feel that too?"

She nodded with wide eyes, "What's happening?"

The Original stared at her intensely, perching himself up on his elbows and giving her an adoring look. "We've been marked, love."

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